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Effects of three culture densities on growth and survival of Octopus vulgaris (Cuvier, 1797)

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Abstract

The purpoase of this research was to test the effects of three culture densities on the growth and survival of Octopus vulgaris. A total of 141 sub-adult octopuses (1,175.4 ± 194.9 g) were randomly distributed in nine tanks of 2,000 l each (3.6 m × 1.1 m, and 50 cm water depth). Three tanks were stocked with a low initial density of 4 kg/m3, while three other tanks were stocked with an initial density of 8 kg/m3, and the remaining three tanks were stocked at an initial density of 15 kg/m3. Octopuses were all fed frozen squid (Loligo gahi) at 5% body weight per day (%BW/day). The experiment lasted for 70 days. Water temperature varied between 20 ± 2°C, and salinity varied between 36 ± 1 ppt. During the entire experiment, dissolved oxygen was always >75%, and ammonia was always lower than 0.1 mg/l. No differences in growth or growth rates (between 0.9 and 1.1%BW/day for the three densities) were found. Nevertheless, mortality was significantly lower for the low density compared to the other two densities tested. Maximum densities in the culture tanks (>25 kg/m3) were attained in the higher culture densities after 56 days of the experiment.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the JACUMAR Project “Plan nacional de optimización del engorde del pulpo (Octopus vulgaris)” and the PROMAR Project (SP5.P117/03) “Cooperación Algarve-Andalucía para la promoción de recursos acuícolas marinos en el litoral suratlántico” from the Interregional INTERREG III A (European Regional Development Funding) for funding this research.

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  1. Centro IFAPA—Agua del pino, Carretera Punta Umbria Cartaya s/n, 21450, Cartaya, Spain

    Pedro Domingues, Sandra Garcia & Diego Garrido

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  1. Pedro Domingues
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  2. Sandra Garcia
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  3. Diego Garrido
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Correspondence to Pedro Domingues.

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Domingues, P., Garcia, S. & Garrido, D. Effects of three culture densities on growth and survival of Octopus vulgaris (Cuvier, 1797). Aquacult Int 18, 165–174 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10499-008-9233-3

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