This study was carried out to provide scientific knowledge for culture as well as optimal feeding ration affected on density, biomass and protein compositions. L. hoffmeister was cultured under flow-through in concreted trench system (160 x 25 x 20 cm) with mud bottoms for 5 weeks. | Journal of Fisheries science and Technology No. 4 - 2018 EFFECTS OF FEEDING RATE ON DENSITY, BIOMASS AND PROTEIN COMPOSITIONS OF OLIGOCHAETE (Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri Claparede, 1862) Truong Thi Bich Hong¹, Nguyen Dinh Mao¹, Le Minh Hoang¹ Received: ; Revised: ; Accepted: ABSTRACT L. hoffmeisteri is an aquatic invertebrate, belonging to the class Oligochaeta and family Tubificidae, used as an important live food for feeding larval stages of freshwater species. This study was carried out to provide scientific knowledge for culture as well as optimal feeding ration affected on density, biomass and protein compositions. L. hoffmeisteri was cultured under flow-through in concreted trench system (160 x 25 x 20 cm) with mud bottoms for 5 weeks. They were fed a mixture of soybean meal, corn meal and rice bran at feeding rations of 5%, 10%, and 15% of body mass. The results showed that different feeding rations significantly effect on the density, biomass and protein compositions of L. hoffmeisteri. Specifically feeding ration of 15% resulted in the highest density (64 ± 5 individual/cm²), biomass ( ± mg/cm²), protein (% of dry biomass) ( ± %). Conversely, the lowest density (5± 1 individual/cm²) and biomass ( ± mg/cm²) were recorded in the control treatment (not fed). The lowest protein (% of dry biomass) ( ± %) was recorded in the treatment with feeding ration of 5 %. In conclusion, feeding at 15% of body mass/day displayed as a suitable ration for L. hoffmeisteri. Keyworms: L. hoffmeisteri worms, feeding rations, culture I. INTRODUCTION is one of many species of aquatic worms that is widely distributed throughout the world [5], tolerating a wide variety of environmental conditions. In Vietnam, these worms can be found in fish ponds, river and wastewater ditches [8]. L. hoffmeisteri is a small species with body size about 20-35 mm long and plays .
