Bioenergetics of feeding and metabolic cost of living in freshwater Caridean prawns

Abstract

The relative partitioning of food energy for processes like moulting, metabolism and growth of the freshwater prawns, Macrobrachium lanchesteri (Palaemonidae) and Caridina weberi (Atyidae) have been detailed through a bioenergetic scheme. The two species of prawns expend the same amount of food energy for the above processes. Conspecific population density inhibited growth by an overall increase in. exuvial production, metabolism and faeces production. Moult-growth relationship of Macrobrachium lanchesteri has been presented as a model for determining accurate measurements of moulting and growth of crustaceans.