Influence of water temperature and food density on growth of early juvenile barnacles, Balanus amphitrite, under culture condition

Abstract

Water temperature, food density, and salinity are among the factors that may influence the growth of barnacles. In this study the influences affecting the growth of early juveniles of the barnacle Balanus amphitrite were investigated by means of three experiments, and growth rates under experimental conditions were compared with those under field conditions. The three experiments were conducted under the following conditions: salinity, 34.54‰; water temperature, 13.0°C or 24.0°C; and different concentrations of food (Skeletonema costatum, Brachionus plicatilis, Artemia nauplii) provided for different lengths of time (4, 5 or 20, and 15days, respectively). At 13.0°C, A growth was reduced to 8.3% of that at 24.0°C. Growth diminished much less, to 41.7%, when food density was lowered by 90%. These results demonstrate that low water temperature has a stronger influence than low food density in inhibiting the growth of these barnacles.