In vitro embryo culture and effect of salinity on the embryonic development of the cultivable freshwater prawn Macrobrachium malcolmsonii (H. Milne Edwards)

Five culture media prepared by using varying quantities of NaCl, KCl, CaCl2, MgCl2, MgSO4 and NaHCO3, were used to test their feasibility for the embryo culture of Macrobrachium malcolmsonii. A reduction in incubation period (11 days) was obtained in the medium V, compared with other media (I to IV). The hatching percentage was higher in the medium V (69.7%) than in other media. Hence, medium V is suitable for in vitro embryo culture of Macrobrachium malcolmsonii. In in vitro culture, eggs hatched on the 12th day had a survival of 66.7% in 0.5 ppt salinity, whereas in 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 ppt salinities mortality occurred in III, II and I stages of embryonic development, It was also noted that more than 35 eggs in a cluster lead to mortality.