Abstract:This study was conducted to determine the effects of several diets on the growth and body composition of sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus.A.japonicus at 4.18±0.23cm of body length and 5.99±0.26g of body weight were fed with different diets,including animal-based (fish meal) diet,Sargassum thunbergii Kuntze, Enteromorpha prolifera,Laminaria japonica, and sea mud-based diet for 80d.Sea cucumbers were maintained in glass aquaria and fed with the five different diets.The special growth rate of sea cucumbers fed with diets of S.thunbergii,E.prolifera and fishmeal were 95.36%/d-1,92.29%/d-1 and 84.87%/d-1,respectively,which were not significantly different but higher than those fed with diets of L.japonica or sea mud.It was found that,although the animal's utilization of plant protein was higher,it is practically feasible to formulate more wholesome feed by using animal-based protein as the diet ingredient; E.prolifera is an alternative food source for juvenile sea cucumbers; Ground dried L.japonica should not be used as the major ingredient of sea cucumber diets.
