Effects of Temperature on Feeding Activity of the White River Crayfish Procambarus acutus acutus1

Feed consumption by white river crayfish Procambarus acutus acutus in a 56‐d laboratory study increased at a linear rate with water temperature over a range of 5 to 25 C. Feed consumption changed as water temperatures were cycled from 20–8–20 C (0.5 C/d) over a 68‐d period and was the highest at the initial 20 C level and the lowest at 8 C. As water temperature increased, feed consumption rate increased; however, consumption never reached the initial rate at 20 C. Crayfish fed 3% and 6% of body weight were significantly larger than animals fed at 1% of body weight after 8 wk. Feed conversion ratios increased significantly with feeding rate. Based on this laboratory study, white river crayfish feed most effectively when water temperature is ≥ 15 C and the feeding rate is 3% of body weight/d.