| Resumo: | The cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) is one of the most well-known cephalopods (Boletzky 1983). Successful culture throughout the life cycle has been done in many places around the world (Pascual 1978; Forsythe et al. 1994). However, it is known that the first stage culture of this species is the most problematic phase and when most mortality occurs (Richard 1971; 1975; Domingues et al. 2001). Recent studies showed that grass shrimp (Palaemonetes varians) can and should be considered as an adequate prey for the culture of the early stages of cuttlefish. It promotes very similar results in life span, survival, and growth, when compared to mysids (Sykes, unpublished results). Furthermore, grass shrimp has been used successfully to culture cuttlefish throughout the life cycle (Domingues et al. 2002, 2003). One of the most important aspects in commercial culture of marine animals is culture density. These studies are important to maximize biomass cultured in each tank while attaining optimal growth and survival, to reduce production costs.
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