ABSTRACT
This work is part of a larger aquaculture pilot study assessing the feasibility of rearing the edible sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus (Lamarck) with artificially prepared diets. To maintain a consistency suitable for urchin feeding, food must be presented in a physically stable form which can remain in the water for several days without degrading or dissolving. In order to choose the best adapted binder, the stability in water of a standard artificial diet, either in the form of a paste or in pellets, bound with different types of solidifier was tested. The following binding agents were employed using different concentrations : agar-agar, sodium alginate, carboxyl-methyl-cellulose, cellulose, gelatine, guar gum. The best results were obtained with agar-agar, gelatine and guar gum.
