Biochemical response and production performance of spiny lobster Panulirus homarus seed reared with different shelter materials

Provision of shelters during nursery rearing of the spiny lobster Panulirus homarus seed is expected to reduce stress and generate higher production performance. In the present study, three types of shelter materials viz, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes, polyethylene (PE) nets and concrete blocks with three replications were used as treatments. The results showed that pipe shelter was the best among three treatments with better yield, higher survival rates and lower stress level indications. Examination of haemolymph for total cholesterol, total protein, total haemocyte count (THC) and glucose showed that pipe shelter treatment exhibited the lowest stress response compared to the other treatments. In terms of lobster weight and carapace length, the application of pipe shelters resulted in the best growth of seeds. Furthermore, the highest daily weight gain and survival rate of 1.41±0.04 and 72.67±1.53% respectively were recorded in seeds reared in pipe shelter, while the lowest values were recorded in concrete block shelter.