In vitro culture of macrobrachium eggs

Abstract

Causes for the death of the eggs in the prawn Macrobrachium nobilii are: i) shedding of eggs by ovigerous female, and ii) infection by epibionts: a Saprolegnial fungus, bacteria (gram negative) and protozoans (Vorticellids and Paramecium). A cause for the death of freshly hatched larvae of some decapods is the reduction in reserve yolk energy in the larvae hatched in the last few batches. To circumvent these disadvantages, an artificial incubator was designed, in which 70% of the 3-day old eggs can successfully be incubated and hatched simultaneously. The isolted eggs are irrigated with filtered and aerated water over a diaphragm in the incubator; the water flushed from below through the diaphragm in the artificial incubator, sways and keeps the eggs continuously in a suspended motion, simulating the irrigation technique of the mother.