Pengaruh Pemberian Pakan Artemia Terhadap Pertumbuhan Karang Lunak Sarcophyton dan Densitas Biota Asosiasi

Abstract

The Research found that the growth rate of Sarcophyton which were fed with Artemia was higher than the control pond, up to 10 weeks. However, at week 11 and 12 there was a decrease of growth rate and followed by an increase of population of benthic biota associated with Sarcophyton at observation ponds. It is interesting for further studied. The purpose of this research is to study the relationship between the growth rate of Sarcophyton and the number of populations of associated benthic biota. The observations took place during the 3 months which were using the two ponds sized each (1x2x0.5) m3 contains 5 colonies. The first pond is not fed as control (A) and a second feeding Artemia 5 g /1 m3/week (B). Every weeks, researchers observed the growth rate and coral health and the condition of supporting such as physical parameters (temperature and salinity), chemical (concentrations of ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, and phosphate), and biological (density of association benthic biota). The results show that feeding Artemia had a significant (confidence interval 95 %) effect on growth of Sarcophyton and the density of associated biota. Observations show that the growth rate, the health value, and the amount of coral polyps coming out at treatment ponds tend to be lower than coral at control pond. Feeding Artemia cause an increase in the density of heterotrophic benthic biota so that increases the rate of oxygen consumption. This high oxygen consumption lead to decrease nitrate and phosphate concentrations. Decreasing levels of oxygen and increasing excretion of benthic biota caused ammonia levels to rise so that the health value of Sarcophyton decline.