Abstract:Survival, growth and feeding rate of sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus were studied in two different salinity change modes (DG: salinity Decreased Gradually; DS: salinity Decreased Sharply). In each mode, sea cucumbers were kept in seawater at 4 different salinities (31-A, 26-B, 22-C, 18-D) for 30d. The results showed that there were only a few individuals died in group B. There was significant difference between group C and D in DG and DS modes (P<0.05). The lowest survival rate was in group DS-D as 45.67%. There was significantly different FR and FCR between treatments under different low salinity stress (P<0.05). However, no significantly different FR and FCR appeared between different salinity change modes (DG and DS) during the experimental period (P>0.05). In group B, there was significant difference on growth of sea cucumber between two salinity change modes in the first 10d after the salinity decreased (P<0.05), but no significant difference in the next 20d (P>0.05). During the experiment, there were negative growth in group C and D, being significantly different from the other groups (P<0.05).
