Effective feeding concentration of the microalga Pavlova lutheri for growth of early spat of the pearl oyster Pinctada fucata martensii

Studies of the artificial breeding of the pearl oyster Pinctada fucata martensii have been carried out in Japan since the 1950s (Kobayashi and Yuki 1952). Wada (1973) showed that the microalga Pavlova lutheri was a suitable food for rearing pearl oyster larvae. From that time, P. lutheri was routinely used as an algal diet for pearl oyster larvae in japanese culture operations. Hayashi and Seko (1986) reviewed the methods used for pearl oyster larviculture, and compiled a manual for the artificial breeding of pearl oysters; however, there was little information presented in the manual on the culture of pearl oyster spat. The present study was carried out to determine an effective feeding concentration of the microalga P. lutheri for growth of early pearl oyster spat under nursery conditions.