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An experiment was conducted to evaluate the reproductive performance and offspring quality of Macrobrachium vollenhovenii broodstock fed four diets: commercial maturation feed (control, T0), maggot (T1), fresh mackerel (T2) and locally formulated feed (T3). Spent broodstock of M. vollenhovenii fed experimental diets and their reproductive performances were evaluated in phase one experimentation. In phase two their offspring quality in a recirculation system with three replicates per treatment (TL0, TL1, TL2 and TL3) were evaluated for 30 days. The duration of gonadal development was significantly different among all the treatments, 28.67 ± 0.58 days and 16.33 ± 1.15 days for T0 and T1, respectively. T1 recorded the best GSI (16.08 ± 0.2%). Larval development in TL1 and TL3 were significantly faster than TL0 and TL2. However, survival rate was the best in TL3 (32.17 ± 0.57%) followed by TL0 (29.63 ± 0.33%). The results of this study are evidence of the possibility of successfully re-maturing and breeding this prawn in captivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macrobrachium vollenhovenii (Herklots, 1857), the largest of the indigenous West African Palaemonidae prawns, has a high potential for aquaculture. This work was carried out to assess the effect of temperature on embryonic development and offspring quality of this species. In the phase one experiment, females at stage V of gonadal development incubated their eggs at three experimental temperatures and their embryonic development was evaluated. Seven embryonic developmental stages were observed: fertilisation, mitosis, morula, blastula, gastrula, nauplius and larvae. The incubation periods were 19, 14 and 13 days at 26 °C, 28 °C and 30 °C, respectively. A temperature of 30 °C resulted in higher broodstock mortality (33.33%). In phase two, larvae were reared at the respective temperatures for 30 days at a stocking density of 30 larvae per litre of water. Offspring quality was significantly different between treatments from day five onwards, with the fastest development at 30 °C followed by 28 °C. However, larval survival rate was significantly higher at 26 °C (31.7%) followed by 28 °C (27.6%). A temperature of 28 °C could therefore be recommended as the most favourable for embryonic development and larviculture of M. vollenhovenii. These findings will help bridge the knowledge gap with respect to captive breeding and hatchery technology for M. vollenhovenii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]