Abstract:

To investigate the effects of sodium alginate and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as binders on the physical properties and feeding efficiency of artificial compound feed for Octopus sinensis, and to screen suitable feed formulations, O.sinensis (1.02±0.51) kg were selected as experimental subjects. Basal feed with a protein content of 45.5% was supplemented with 10 g/kg sodium alginate or CMC to prepare wet, semi-moist, and dry feeds. The performance of different feeds was evaluated through shape retention time, leaching rate (8 h), and a 28-day feeding trial (water temperature: 25-26℃, salinity: 30). The results showed that the dry feed group with 1% sodium alginate exhibited the longest shape retention time (23 h), significantly outperforming other groups (P < 0.05). Among feeds with the same binder, the shape stability followed the order: dry feed > semi-moist feed > wet feed. The 0.5% sodium alginate dry feed group had the lowest leaching rate (15.50%), followed by the 1% sodium alginate semi-moist feed group (32.37%). The 1% sodium alginate group demonstrated normal feeding behavior, while the 1% CMC group experienced an 80% mortality rate by day 15. The study indicates that the 1% sodium alginate semi-moist feed combines excellent shape retention (19 h), low leaching rate (32.37%), and high feeding stability, making it suitable for large-scale aquaculture applications of O. sinensis. This research provides the first preliminary evaluation of binder effects on feed performance for O. sinensis, offering a reference for developing precise and efficient compound feeds.

Key words: Octopus sinensis, artificial compound feed, sodium alginate, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), shape retention time, leaching rate