1
ANALYSIS OF GROWTH, PROXIMATE AND TOTAL ENERGY OF SANDFISH
HOLOTHURIA SCABRA CULTURED AT DIFFERENT CULTIVATED HABITAT
1)
Ambo Tuwo1), Joeharnani Tresnati1) dan Saharuddin2)
Faculty of Marine Science and Fisheries, Hasanuddin University
2)
Postgraduate Program, Hasanuddin University
ABSTRACT
The problem in the sea cucumber culture development in Indonesia is the
difficulty to find the culture area that could provide optimal production. This study
analyzed the cultivated habitat that could provide optimal growth, proximate and total
energy to sandfish Holothuria scabra cultivated in different habitats. The study was
done from March to June 2011 in the Puteangin Island, Lasitae Village, District Tanete
Rilau, Barru Regency, South Sulawesi. The cage size used was 2 m in length, 1 m in
width, and 1.5 m in height. The net mesh-size was 0.5 inch. The cage placed at three
different habitats, i.e. sandy overgrown with seagrass habitat, sandy covered with corals
habitat, and sandy habitat. The study consisted of three treatments and three
replications. Growth was observed by measuring the daily specific growth rate and
absolute weight growth. Proximate and energy content of sandfish was analyzed at the
beginning and the end of the study. The study reveals that the sand and seagrass habitat
provide the best results with daily specific growth rate is 1.15% ± 0.03%. The absolute
weight growth is 28.45 g ± 0.95 g. The proximate content is 0.24 g ± 0.492 g for
protein, 0.07 g ± 0.395 g for fat, and 18.026 g ± 0.39 g for carbohydrate. The highest
energy content is 176 997 calories.
INTRODUCTION
In Indonesia, there are 23 species of sea cucumbers, which 5 species have
important economic value. Sandfish Holothuria scabra is the species most widely
traded (Hartati et al. 2004). Sea cucumbers could be found in the coastal waters,
ranging from tidal areas to deep water. Sea cucumbers prefer clear waters in the
sheltered area. Sandfish are frequently found in the sandy or muddy areas overgrown
with seagrass (Radjab, 2002).
The scientific classification of sandfish is : Kingdom : Animalia; Phylum :
Echinodermata; Class : Holothuroidea; Order : Aspidochirotida; Family :
Holothuriidae; Genus : Holothuria; subgenus Metriatyla; Species : Holothuria scabra.
The synonyms is Holothuria albida Savigny, 1867; Holothuria gallensis Pearson, 1903;
Holothuria saecularis Bell, 1887.
Sandfish is greyish-black on the upper side with dark-coloured wrinkles but
paler on the underside. It is a medium-sized species, to 400 cm long, It is broader than it
is high and has a pliable skin. Spicules are well developed tables and knobbed buttons.
Sandfish can be found on reefs and in in shallow water on soft sediments or sea-grass
flats (Guille et al, 1986; MSIP, 2011); it may be exposed or partially buried in sand.
Sandfish is found throughout the Indo-Pacific region from East Africa to the Eastern
Pacific. They are usually found between the latitude 30 oN and 30 oS (Agudo, 2006).
Sea cucumber is nutritious seafood with a high protein and low lipid content and
is rich in gluten, nitrogen, iodine and other nutritional elements (Wang, 1997). Sea
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cucumbers used as a food contains high nutrient value, i.e. 43.1% protein, 2.2% fat,
27.1% moisture, 27.6% ash content (Rustam, 2006 dan Hendri et al. 2008). The amino
acids of sandfish are generally the essential amino acids (Chen, 2004).
Sandfish is a high economic value commodity and has a good prospect of
domestic and international market. The domestic price could reach Rp.900.000 per
kilogram (Hartati et al. 2005). Sandfish is the most expensive sea cucumber produced
in tropical and sub tropical area. The price of dried product or trepang ranges from 25 to
63 US$ kg-1, it depends on grade and quality. The grade is related to the thickness of the
body wall and size. Generally, there are three grading size of sandfish dried product, i.e.
grade A for 10 to 30 pc kg-1; grade B for 15 to 40 pc kg-1; and grade C for more than 40
pc kg-1. The grade A price is range from 43 to 63.0 US$ kg-1; grade B is range 35 to 40
US$ kg-1; and grade C is range 25 to 37 US$ kg-1 (Anom. 2001a; Anom. 2001b Anom.
2002a; Anom. 2002b). The pularity of sea cucumber as a health food purportedly able
to cure arthritis and some types of cancer, other forms of high value processed sea
cucumbers are expected to receive good market acceptance and preference in local and
international markets.
Sandfish yield is one of the largest sea cucumber catches worldwide; and it is an
important source of income for marginal fishers in impoverished coastal villages in
Southeast Asia countries. Sandfish are highly exploited so that it population continues
to decline in the wild (Sudjiharno, 2003). To maintain the sustainability of sandfish
production is needed. In Southeast Asian countries, cultivation has carried only on
sandfish. Sandfish is better than another because of its high prices, also has a better
environment adaptation than other sea cucumber species, such as more resistant to
salinity fluctuation than other sea cucumbers species. Sandfish cultivation is generally
located in shallow coastal areas; water depth should be 75 to 100 cm (Tuwo, 2004).
Increasing sandfish production could not be done by only relying on wild
capture. Sandfish production needs to be done both wild capture and cultivation.
Actually, sandfish cultivation faces many problems, i.e. sandfish adaptation to the
cultivation area. One problem often encountered sandfish cultivation area is the lower
growth rate and lower nutritional value of sandfish from cultivation compare to sandfish
from the wild. To overcome this problem is needed to find out the cultivation area that
has environment condition to sandfish natural habitat. Until present, there has been no
previous research on the sandfish habitat condition that favorable to sandfish cultivated
growth. This study aims to analyzed the habitat condition that could potentially provide
better growth rate and.
METHODS
The study was conducted from March to June 2011 in the island Puteangin,
Lasitae Village, District Tanate Rilau, Barru regency, South Sulawesi. There are 100
individuals used in this study. The sandfish weight is 28 to 29 g of as many as 100
individuals. Cultivation media used in this study were the nets that have length, width
and height of each of the 2 x 1 x 1.5 m. the nets size is of 0.5.
The study consisted of three treatments and each treatment consisted of three
replications. Thus, this study consists of nine units of the experiment. The treatments
tested were the bottom waters are: (1) sandy overgrown with seagrass habitat, (2) sandy
covered with corals habitat, (3) sandy habitat
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Parameters measured were survival rate, growth, proximate (proteins, fats,
carbohydrates) and total energy. The survival rate (SR, %) is calculated using the
formula Effendie (1979): SR = Nt / No x 100; wherein SR is the survival rate (%), Nt is
the number of sandfish at the end of the study, No is the number of sandfish at the
beginning of the study.
The daily specific body growth rate (SGR) was calculated using the formula
Effendie (1979): SGR = {(lnWt - lnWo) / t} x 100, wherein the Wt is the average
weight of the end of the study (g), Wo is the average weight at the beginning of the
study (g), t is the duration of the study (days).
The absolute weight growth was calculated using the formula Effendie (1979):
W = Wt - Wo; wherein Wt is the average weight at the end of the study, and Wo is the
average weight at the beginning of the study.
Proximate analysis (protein, fat, carbohydrates) and total body energy was
measured at the beginning and end of the study. Environmental parameters observed
were phytoplankton, macro benthos, sediment type, salinity, temperature, dissolved
oxygen, and nitrate.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Survival Rate
The survival rate of sandfish was 40% to 70%. Highest survival rate was found
at Sandy overgrown with seagrass habitat, which was 70% (average 66.67%). The
lowest survival rate was found at habitat sandy, which was 40% (average 50.00%).
Sandfish survival rates were significantly different two types of habitat, the sandy
overgrown with seagrass habitat and sandy covered with corals habitat (Table 1). The
sandfish survival rates obtained in this study is higher than the results of other studies.
Hair (2011) reveals that the survival rate of sandfish after six months rearing was
around 28%; and the highest survival rate was 41%, recorded from a pen of large
sandfish.
Table 1. Survival rate of sandfish (Holothuria scabra) cultivated at three different types
of habitats.
Habitat
Survival Rate (%)
Sandy and seagrass
66.67 ± 5.77a
Sandy and coral
56.67 ± 5.77b
Sandy
50.00 ± 10.00b
tcount
tA&B=2.123; tA&C=2.501; tB&C=1.001
ttable
0.134
Growth Rate
The highest daily specific body growth rate (1.15) and absolute weight growth
(28.45) of sandfish were found at sandy overgrown with seagrass habitat. The two
growth parameters of sandfish were significantly different in the three types of habitats.
Both growth parameters is greater than the second
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Table 2. Daily specific body growth rate and absolute weight growth of sandfish
(Holothuria scabra) cultivated at three different types of habitats.
Habitats
Daily Specific Growth Rate
(%)
Absolute Weight Growth (g)
Sandy and seagrass
1.15 ± 0.03a
28.45 ± 0.95a
Sandy and coral
0.83 ± 0.01b
18.51 ± 0.28b
Sandy
0.62 ± 0.04c
12.97 ± 1.03c
tcount
tA&B=17.270; tA&C=18.358;
tB&C=8.823
tA&B=17.308; tA&C=19.093;
tB&C=8.986
ttable
0.134
0.134
Proximate and Total Energy
During the cultivation, protein, fat, carbohydrate and total energy increased. The
protein, fat, carbohydrate and total energy were significantly different in the three types
of habitat (Table 3). The highest content of protein, fat, carbohydrate and total energy
of sandfish were found at sandy overgrown with seagrass habitat. While the lowest
were found in sandy habitat, except for the fat.
Table 3. Increase of protein, fat, carbohydrate and energy of sandfish (Holothuria
scabra) cultivated at three different types of habitats.
Habitat
Protein (g)
Fat (g)
Carbohydrate
(g)
Total Energy
(cal)
Sandy and seagrass
9.49 + 0.09a
0.40 + 0.07a
18.03 + 0.39a
177.00 + 42.60a
Sandy and coral
8.25 + 0.24b
0.09 + 0.08b
1.88 + 0.01b
70.50 + 5.04b
Sandy
6.82 + 0.32c
0.13 + 0.16b
1.38 + 0.12c
8.85 + 5.75c
tcount
tA&B=8.379;
tA&C=13.918;
tB&C=6.193
tA&B=5.051;
tA&C=2.677;
tB&C=0.387
tA&B=71.701;
tA&C=70.671;
tB&C=7.194
tA&B=4.300;
tA&C=6.775;
tB&C=17.975
ttable
0.134
0.134
0.134
0.134
There were 23 macro benthos species found at the three types of sandfish
cultivation habitat, namely: Anadara maculosa, Anomalodiscus sguamosus, flat worms,
Chantarus elegipangans, Cerastoderma adule, Ceritium ruppellii, Ceritium vulgatum,
Ceritium sp, Codakia orbicularis, Conus sp., Donax sp., Hindsia magnifica, Isognomon
isognomon, Crab, Lopha cristagalli, Patellar barbata, Penion mandarinus, Rhinoclavis
asper, Rhinoclavis sp., Spisula elliptica, Trisidos tortuosa, Turitella sp., and
Xhenophora pallidula. Each habitat type has macro benthos indicator. Chantarus
elegans, flat worms, Penion mandarinus and Rhinoclavis sp could be the macro benthos
indicator for sandy overgrown with seagrass habitat. Anadara maculosa, Cerastoderma
adule, Ceritium ruppellii, Ceritium vulgatum, Isognomon isognomon, Lopha cristagalli
and Trisidos tortuosa could be the macro benthos indicator for sandy covered with
corals habitat. While Conus sp., Patellar barbata, Rhinoclavis asper, and Turitella sp
5
could be the macro benthos indicator for sandy covered with corals habitat. The macro
benthos that occupied the three habitat types were Spisula elliptica, Donax sp., and
Anomalodiscus sguamosus (Table 4). Although each habitat type has macro benthos
indicator, but the survival rate difference of sandfish found in this study could not show
the direct relation between the survival rate and macro benthos, even though the present
of crabs. Likewise, the differences in growth, protein, fat, carbohydrate and total energy
of sandfish could not be related directly to the macro benthos species. Macro benthos
could be a sandfish competitor in terms of space and food, but the impact of this
competition could not be revealed in this study. It still needs further observation.
Table 4. The macro benthos found at three types of habitat cultivated by sandfish
(Holothuria scabra).
No.
Macro benthos
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
Chantarus elegans
Flatworms
Penion mandarinus
Rhinoclavis sp.
Xhenophora pallidula
Codakia orbicularis
Crab
Ceritium sp
Spisula elliptica
Donax sp.
Anomalodiscus sguamosus
Hindsia magnifica
Anadara maculosa
Cerastoderma adule
Ceritium ruppellii
Ceritium vulgatum
Isognomon isognomon
Lopha cristagalli
Trisidos tortuosa
Conus sp.
Patella barbata
Rhinoclavis asper
Turitella sp.
Sandy and seagrass
Average
Std
15.00
9.67
9.67
7.33
3.67
3.67
2.00
8.00
25.33
4.67
7.33
33.33
-
4.36
4.62
0.58
0.58
3.21
0.58
1.73
0.00
7.09
0.58
6.43
7.64
-
Sandy and coral
Average
18.33
5.67
7.00
10.33
8.00
6.67
25.67
14.67
2.33
16.67
11.67
-
Std
16.07
0.58
0.00
17.90
1.00
0.58
1.15
4.51
2.08
5.77
2.89
-
Sandy
Average
10.67
7.00
5.00
1.33
9.33
2.67
1.67
4.33
3.33
8.33
3.33
Std
9.29
2.00
2.65
1.15
1.15
0.58
1.53
1.15
0.58
0.58
0.58
There are six phytoplankton species were found at three cultivation habitats,
namely: Ceratium furca, Cetoceros sp, Dinophysis sp, Gimnodium sp, Oscillatoria sp,
Pleurosigma sp. The six phytoplankton species were commonly found in three
cultivation habitat. Ceratium furca tend to be more prevalent in sandy habitat is
overgrown with grass. Gimnodium sp more prevalent in the sandy overgrown with
seagrass habitat. Gimnodium sp, Cetoceros and Pleurosigma were two phytoplankton
species that often found in sandy covered with corals habitat and sandy habitat.
Cetoceros and Pleurosigma are two types of phytoplankton were often found in three
cultivation habitat (Table 5). Phytoplankton composition could not to be a strong reason
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to explain the differences in content of protein, fat, carbohydrate and total energy at
every cultivation habitats.
Table 5. Phytoplankton found at three types of habitat cultivated by sandfish
(Holothuria scabra).
No.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Phytoplankton
Dinophysis sp
Cetoceros
Pleurosigma sp
Gimnodium sp
Oscillatoria sp
Ceratium furca
Sandy and seagrass
Average
Std
12.33
10.79
225.00
91.24
19.00
5.29
6.00
3.61
7.00
1.00
17.67
11.02
Sandy and coral
Average
Std
115.33
6.43
13.67
9.87
15.67
5.13
5.00
2.00
3.33
2.89
Sandy
Average
Std
4.33
3.79
82.33
27.39
14.33
5.13
20.00
4.36
3.67
6.35
-
The soil fraction was same at three cultivation habitats. The texture type was
sandy (Table 6). This sediment texture is suitable for sandfish cultivation habitat.
Gultom (2004) revealed that soil fraction suitable for sandfish is 83.62% - 93.40% of
sand fraction, 0.57% - 2.17% of dust and 3.20% - 5.68% of clay. Naturally, sea
cucumbers live in sandy areas mixed with rubble and overgrown grass (Gultom, 2004).
Chen (2004) and Agudo (2006) reveal that sandfish suitable reared at substratum
muddy or sandy bottom, preferably with seagrass; and depth range from 3 to 10 meters
(Chen, 2004; Agudo, 2006).
The content of nitrogen, phosphorus, pH, organic matter and sediment were
relatively same for the three cultivation habitats. The pH was around 8. The ideal
conditions for a desirable cultivation site of sandfish should be pH range from 7.9 to 8.4
(Chen, 2004).
Soil organic matter content was slightly higher in the sandy overgrown with
seagrass habitat and sandy covered with corals habitat (Table 6). Mercier et al, (1999)
and Pitt and Duy (2004) found that sandy muddy substrates were rich in organic matter.
The content of nitrogen, phosphorus, pH, organic matter at the three cultivation habitats
was feasible for sandfish.
Salinity is one of important factors for the sandfish growth. Salinity waters
during this study ranged from 27 to 31 ppt (Table 7). This range is feasible for the
cultivation of sandfish. Rusyani et al. (2003) found that the ideal seawater salinity range
for sandfish was 28 to 33 ppt. The ideal conditions for a desirable site are salinity range
from 28 to 31 (Chen, 2004; Agudo, 2006). Sandfish tended to burrow when salinity
decreased, whereas increased water temperatures reduced normal burrowing behavior
(Mercier et al, 2000a, 2000b).
Temperature has an important role for the sandfish growth. Water temperature
during this study ranged from 28 to 32 oC. Optimum temperature for the sea cucumber
is 24 to 30oC (Martoyo et al, 2006; Chen, 2004; Agudo, 2006). Dissolved oxygen
concentration during this study was 3.5 to 8.5. The optimum dissolved oxygen
concentration for the cucumbers ranged from 4 to 8 ppm (Martoyo et al, 2006). The
content of nitrate (NO3) obtained during the study ranged from 0.02 to 0.08 ppm. This
concentration is still suitable for the survival and growth of the sea cucumber.
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Table 6. Chemical and physical parameters of three habitats cultivated by sandfish
(Holothuria scabra).
No.
Sandy and seagrass
Average
Std
Contents
Sandy and coral
Average
Std
Sandy
Average
Std
Beginning
0.067
0.003
0.062
0.006
0.026
0.004
End
0.072
0.003
0.069
0.004
0.032
0.004
Beginning
6.521
0.004
7.525
0.234
6.388
0.005
End
6.521
0.004
7.525
0.234
6.388
0.005
Beginning
8.180
0.020
8.267
0.124
8.493
0.025
End
8.197
0.015
8.293
0.093
8.493
0.012
Beginning
0.886
0.003
0.894
0.010
0.440
0.145
End
0.958
0.014
0.955
0.016
0.430
0.102
Sand (%)
92.00
-
96.00
-
93.00
-
Dust (%)
5.00
-
3.00
-
4.00
-
Clay (%)
3.00
-
1.00
-
3.00
-
Sandy
-
Sandy
-
Sandy
-
1.
N (%)
2.
P (ppm)
3.
pH
4.
BO (%)
5.
Sediment
Texture types
Table 7. Water quality parameters at three types of habitat cultivated by sandfish
(Holothuria scabra).
Water Quality
Salinity
(ppt)
Temperature
(oC)
DO (ppm)
Nitrate (ppm)
Sandy and
seagrass
27 - 31
28 - 32
3.667+0.006 - 8.527+0.031
0.040+0.000 - 0.07+0.006
Sandy and
coral
27 - 31
28 - 32
3.750+0.044 - 8.157+0.040
0.040+0.000 - 0.067+0.006
Sandy
27 - 31
28 - 32
3.473+0.025 - 8.660+0.017
0.033+0.006 - 0.067+0.006
Habitat
CONCLUSION
The study reveal that survival rate, growth, proximate and total body
energy content of sandfish found in sandy habitats overgrown grass is
better that the two other cultivation habitat. The lowest levels found in
sandy habitats.
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