Effects of different levels of calcium bentonite as a food supplement on the growth and survival of the Scabra (Holothuria scabra) of the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea

Marine cucumbers are a valuable commercial species and resistant to poor environment conditions and also it can use practical diet in a confined area. Sea cucumber is a valuable fossil species of the Cambrian era, which has many uses in the food industries, livestock, and poultry, pharmaceuticals and medicine. 1,200 species of sea cucumber only 12 commercial species across the waters of the tropical and subtropical zones. Calcium bentonite is a useful mineral which has effect full on Growth and survival of creatures. An experiment with four different levels of dietary calcium bentonite 1,2,3,4 percent and the control group (without calcium bentonite) in five treatments and three replications was conducted. One hundred and twenty scabra with initial weight of 15±3g were randomly distributed between 15 tanks of 200 liter capacity which filled with 120 fresh filter sea water growth performances such as weight gain, specific growth rate percentage, food efficiency ratio and survival rate in treatment 3 and 4 with (3 and 4 percent Calcium bentonite) has significantly increased (p<0.05). Whereas, control treatment (without Calcium bentonite) in the diet has not improved and showed significant difference with other treatments (p<0.05). The results of this study showed that adding Calcium bentonite into diet has caused better growth and survival rate of scabra species that has been proved in the present survey.

کلیدواژه ها:

Sea cucumber ، Calcium bentonite ، Growth and survival ، Scabra species (Holothuria Scabra)