379
19 Enteroctopus megalocyathus
19.7 Trends in Research and Culture at Industrial Level
There is an important, unsatisfied demand for octopus, mainly in European countries such as Spain, as well as in Japan and other Asian countries (González et al.
2008). This demand, added to the need to recover the fisheries, generates a unique
opportunity for the development of farming systems for this species.
The octopus is an organism that represents many challenges because of its highly
developed nervous system and behavioural factors that can be complex; therefore,
the prevalence of cannibalism must be reduced in order to achieve an effective cultivation of paralarvae and juveniles. For an efficient ongrowing, it is necessary to
lower the competition for space, food and reproduction. Furthermore, behavioural
factors make it difficult for the octopus to accept artificial or formulated food; however, the same capacity of learning should allow not only the medium-term development of balanced formulated feeds but also the use of automatic feeders that would
allow the octopus to feed on demand.
The defence generated by the innate immune system of cephalopods against
diseases and infections is relevant for the development of commercial production
systems, especially when a high density of specimens is necessary for a profitable cultivation. The characterization of the innate immune system of E� megalocyathus demonstrates that the lysozyme activity and the activation of respiratory
burst (ROS) are independent of the size of the octopus, but it could be dependent
on diet (Silva et al. 2013). It has also been demonstrated that in the innate immune
system of E� megalocyathus, the haemocyanin is a humoral component with special
characteristics and high antibacterial activity (Uriarte et al. 2012).
Future tendencies are determined by the market, but presently the experimental
results on Patagonian red octopus indicate that juvenile production is possible and
it could involve:
• A larviculture process including broodstock conditioning, egg laying, embryo
incubation and paralarval rearing until early juveniles that could last for about 12
months.
• An ongrowning process of juveniles of 100 g aiming to reach a commercial size
of 2.7 kg that could last for about 9 months.
It is necessary to determine the growth rate from an early juvenile of 0.4 g to a
juvenile octopus of 100 g to establish the total time needed under cultivation until
reaching commercial size. Once these aspects are covered, the production cycle of
Patagonian red octopus would be closed.
19.8 Conclusions
The main conclusions of the chapter are related to the potential success to obtain
early juvenile or ‘seed’ for the ongrowing process. However, more information is
required about the results of ongrowing in sea cages because there are relevant
19 Enteroctopus megalocyathus
19.7 Trends in Research and Culture at Industrial Level
There is an important, unsatisfied demand for octopus, mainly in European countries such as Spain, as well as in Japan and other Asian countries (González et al.
2008). This demand, added to the need to recover the fisheries, generates a unique
opportunity for the development of farming systems for this species.
The octopus is an organism that represents many challenges because of its highly
developed nervous system and behavioural factors that can be complex; therefore,
the prevalence of cannibalism must be reduced in order to achieve an effective cultivation of paralarvae and juveniles. For an efficient ongrowing, it is necessary to
lower the competition for space, food and reproduction. Furthermore, behavioural
factors make it difficult for the octopus to accept artificial or formulated food; however, the same capacity of learning should allow not only the medium-term development of balanced formulated feeds but also the use of automatic feeders that would
allow the octopus to feed on demand.
The defence generated by the innate immune system of cephalopods against
diseases and infections is relevant for the development of commercial production
systems, especially when a high density of specimens is necessary for a profitable cultivation. The characterization of the innate immune system of E� megalocyathus demonstrates that the lysozyme activity and the activation of respiratory
burst (ROS) are independent of the size of the octopus, but it could be dependent
on diet (Silva et al. 2013). It has also been demonstrated that in the innate immune
system of E� megalocyathus, the haemocyanin is a humoral component with special
characteristics and high antibacterial activity (Uriarte et al. 2012).
Future tendencies are determined by the market, but presently the experimental
results on Patagonian red octopus indicate that juvenile production is possible and
it could involve:
• A larviculture process including broodstock conditioning, egg laying, embryo
incubation and paralarval rearing until early juveniles that could last for about 12
months.
• An ongrowning process of juveniles of 100 g aiming to reach a commercial size
of 2.7 kg that could last for about 9 months.
It is necessary to determine the growth rate from an early juvenile of 0.4 g to a
juvenile octopus of 100 g to establish the total time needed under cultivation until
reaching commercial size. Once these aspects are covered, the production cycle of
Patagonian red octopus would be closed.
19.8 Conclusions
The main conclusions of the chapter are related to the potential success to obtain
early juvenile or ‘seed’ for the ongrowing process. However, more information is
required about the results of ongrowing in sea cages because there are relevant