Development of a Diatoms Feeding System for the Rehabilitation of Pearl Oysters

Abstract

Mortality on a mass scale in pearl oyster farming has been considered a serious problem in Japan since 1996, due to food shortage and resulting infection. The authors have developed a diatoms feeding system for pearl oysters to alleviate this. A study was conducted to inhibit the problem and tries to increase and maintain diatoms density by supplementing diatoms for pearl oysters in a rehabilitation water tank in Uwajima, Ehime Prefecture from the spring to summer of 1999 and 2000.
The results show that the diatom density, feces excretion of the pearl oysters and feeding volume uptake were all higher in the rehabilitation water tank compared to outside in the sea. The system improved on the food shortage condition. There is potential here for the prevention of mass mortalities in pearl oysters using the system.