The present study was designed to test the effects of type of binder on growth, nutritional physiology, total apparent digestibility, and some elements of the energetic balance of early O. maya juveniles. Two experiments were performed. One was aimed at evaluating the effect of type of binder on growth, nutritional physiology, and energetic balance and the other at knowing the effect of the binder on total apparent digestibility of O. maya. Binder type affected growth and survival of early O. maya juveniles. Octopuses fed alginate-bound crab meat lost weight and died, revealing that this type of binder limits nutrient absorption from the diet. In contrast, when gelatin was used as binder, energetic balance was similar to that obtained in animals fed natural crab, indicating that octopuses can digest gelatin. Apparently, gelatin promotes absorption of nutrients similar to that observed when octopuses were fed pieces of fresh crab. Salivary glands produce enzymes that are used to predigest the food. Results of the present study indicate that octopuses require higher enzyme activity to digest fresh crab than when animals are fed gelatin-bound crab paste, and that intracellular digestion in the digestive gland is similar in animals fed either type of diet. The present study reports, for the first time, differences among binders used for cephalopods' diet. Although no compounded feed formulations are available for cephalopods, it is a necessary step in the search for an adequate compounded feed for this novel species in aquaculture.

As has been demonstrated in previous studies, Octopus maya can be fed on artificial diets. In the present study six different diets were assayed. Five diets were designed to test the effect of percentage of inclusion of fish protein concentrate (CPSP: 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20%) and were offered to octopuses as a specifically designed artificial diet. The sixth diet consisted of frozen crab (Callinectes spp) and was used as control diet. Blood metabolites and energy budget of octopuses were evaluated to determine how CPSP levels modulate the digestive capacity and allow retaining energy for growth. Wild animals (316.4 ± 9.8 g) were used in the study. Results showed that CPSP produced a positive specific growth rate (SGR, % day− 1) with high value in octopuses fed 15% CPSP level. A maximum growth rate of 0.86% day− 1 was recorded in these animals, a value that is extremely low when compared with the SGR obtained when animals were fed fresh crab (3.7% day− 1). In general, blood metabolites were affected by diet composition, indicating that some metabolites could reflect the nutritional and/or physiological status of octopus. Preliminary reference values for O. maya fed crab were found for glucose (0.09 ±0.02 mg/ml), lactate (0.004 ± 0.002 mg/ml), cholesterol (0.16 ± 0.02 mg/ml), acylglycerol (0.14 ± 0.01 mg/ml), protein (0.37 ± 0.04 mg/ml), hemocyanin (1.85 ± 0.04 mmol/l), and digestive gland glycogen (1.86 ± 0.3 mg/g). Total energy content can be used as an indicator of tissue metabolic reserves. In the present study, higher energy content in the digestive gland and muscle was observed in octopuses fed crab, followed by animals fed 15% CPSP. Results from the digestive gland indicated that the retained energy derived from glycogen, suggesting that lipids and protein were the main sources of variation linked with energy content. In general, digestive gland proteases activity and trypsin were induced in octopuses fed 15% CPSP. The capacity of O. maya juveniles to adjust their digestive enzymes to different types of food was evidenced. Essential amino acid content (EAA) of the diet was not a limiting factor. When dietary EAA profiles were compared with O. maya EAA profiles, all dietary EAA resulted in a higher concentration than whole body octopus composition. In the present study, all experimental groups ingested between 3300 and 4106 kJ wk− 1 kg− 1 without statistical differences among treatments, indicating that experimental diets were as attractive as crab. Differences were recorded in the proportion of absorbed energy (Ab, %) between CPSP-based and crab meat diets, suggesting digestion limitations associated with artificial diets. The present results indicate that the 15% CPSP diet had characteristics that stimulate digestive enzymes and reduce energetic costs associated with its digestion (HiE or SDA), channeling more biomass production than the other experimental diets.

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We examined changes in the histology, physiology and enzymatic activity of the digestive gland -as well as changes in morphology and feeding behavior -of Octopus maya during rearing, to define the phases characterizing post-hatching development. Morphometric changes showed that juvenile O. maya exhibited a non-growth phase during the first 10 d post-hatching (DPH). Histological analysis revealed that the digestive gland morphology changed with age, from a simple tubular gland in octopuses 2 DPH to a tubulo-acinar and vacuolar structure with digestive cells characterized by vacuoles in octopuses 45 DPH. Digestive enzyme activity was erratic until 14 DPH, after which the activity started to stabilize. O. maya at 2 and 3 DPH rarely presented attack responses to either visual or both visual and chemical stimuli from prey. In contrast, at 4 DPH, octopuses responded to visual stimuli from crabs and palaemonids, but did not display preference in attacking either prey type. Based on our results, we have defined for the first time 2 phases in the early life history of O. maya: post-hatching and juvenile.KEY WORDS: Cephalopoda · Digestive gland · Post-hatching development · Digestive enzyme · Feeding behavior · Octopus maya Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisherAquat Biol 9: [35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48] 2010 immediately on post-hatching, as previously assumed for squid (Forsythe & Van Heukelem 1987), and that first-feeding hatchlings were extremely sensitive to starvation. The occurrence of the no net growth phase was only revealed after daily individual weight data had been obtained (Vidal et al. 2002).In a similar way, Boucaud-Camou & Boucher-Rodoni (1983) reported that Sepia officinalis hatchlings go through 3 stages that include (1) an embryonic phase characterized by intracellular yolk digestion, linear low growth rate, weak activity of the digestive gland and negative reactions of chymotrypsin, indicating negative extracellular digestion (during these first 4 d the animals do not eat); (2) a post-hatching phase that begins with the first meal inducing the secretory activity of the digestive gland that has grown at the expense of the inner yolk sac; and (3) a juvenile-adult phase, observed at the end of the first month of life, in which the digestive gland has the same histophysiology as that of adults and in which animals are able to catch a greater variety of prey. In this sense, Budelmann et al. (1997) pointed out that the microscopic anatomy of the digestive gland, like the duct appendages of cephalopods, undergoes a variety of changes during postembryonic and juvenile development that result in diverse anatomical features and functions, although some are not yet completely understood. These include (1) synthesis and secretion of digestive enzymes; (2) absorption and metabolism of nutrients; (3) synthesis and storage of lipids, lipoproteins, glycogen, pigments, vitamins and protein; (4) binding of Fe, Cu, Ca and non-physiological hea...

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