Preliminary study on the growth rate of Holothuria atra reared in net cages along the subtidal zone of the DLSU Marine station

• Main Author: La Rosa, Frederick Rebulado
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 1997
• Subjects: Holothurians; Sea cucumbers; De La Salle University Marine Biological Station (Matuod; Lian; Batangas)
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/1597
• Institution: De La Salle University

Juvenile Holothuria atra species with lengths ranging from 3 cm to 6 cm were maintained in culture cages made of bamboo poles and fishing nets which were set-up at approximately 100 m from the shore. The growth rate of the juvenile H. atra was monitored biweekly for 12 weeks with length as indicator. Physico-chemical factors such as temperature, salinity, pH and dissolved oxygen were likewise monitored every sampling period. Growth rate showed an apparent decline on the 4th week and a slight recovery on the 6th week, although the trend was still generally declining up to the 12th. The average biweekly growth rate was 1.68 cm/2 weeks. The water temperature readings ranged from 28 centigrade to 32 centigrade, pH readings within the range of 6.0 to 7.1. The salinity was recorded to be within 30.% to 32.5 percent while the dissolved oxygen showed a range of 8.25 mg/L to 9.75 mg/L as the lowest and highest values respectively. As there were no abrupt changes in the physico-chemical parameter, there was little, if any, influence on the growth rate observed in the study.