A 180-day experiment was carried out under controlled conditions
to compare the effects of three commercial dry diets on survival, growth and
body composition of juvenile Pacifastacus leniusculus from the onset of
exogenous feeding (stage 2). Protein levels in the diets were 55.5% [highprotein
content (HP) diet], 40.3% [medium-protein content (MP)] and 33.2%
[low-protein content (LP)]. Diets were supplemented with restricted amounts of
live fresh Artemia nauplii up to day 120. No significant differences in survival
among diets were found along the trial, with final values around 68.5%. During
the live feed supplementation, growth was similar with the three diets. At the
end of the trial, weight with HP or with MP was similar (around 2.32 g) and
significantly higher than with LP (1.97 g). Thus, a diet with 40% of protein can
be suitable, as it allowed similar results as the diet containing 55%. Levels of
protein in diets and in crayfish muscle were positively correlated (r=0.8). This
study also shows that an intensive rearing up to 180 days with good survival
and growth rates is possible using dry diets for finfish species supplemented
with live feed.