First feeding of Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797 paralarvae using Artemia:: Effect of prey size, prey density and feeding frequency

Different assays related to the first feeding of Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797 are compiled in this paper. They include: age at initial feeding age, prey size selection and optimal density, attack timing after feeding, and effect of dose number on the number of captures. Prey capture and ingestion processes were also analysed. Food supplied was cultured Artemia sp. Each assay lasted 15 min. Although paralarvae already start to feed on the hatching day (day 0), it is during day 2 when a greater number of attacks is recorded (81.7 +/- 14.7% paralarvae attack). They mainly prefer (significance level alpha = 0.05) large Artemia, 1.4 0.4 min (77.0 +/- 5.6% of the total attacks) than small Artemia, 0.8 +/- 0.1 min (23.0 +/- 5.6%). There is also a slight predilection for the lowest Artemia concentration (33.3 +/- 12.6% paralarvae attack in a 0.1 Artemia ml(-1) density, opposite 16.7 +/- 7.6 and 18.3 +/- 7.6% in densities of 0.5 and 1 Artemia ml(-1) respectively). The greatest predatory activity is recorded during the first 5 min after food is supplied (72.2 +/- 25.5%). An increase in the predatory activity was also observed when food was distributed in several doses instead of a single dose (75.0 +/- 10.0% and 46.7 +/- 17.6% respectively). It was proved for the first time that paralarvae completely ingest their preys (including their exoskeletons), in this case Artemia. Time needed for their total ingestion ranges between 4 and 10 min. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.