Effect of dietary arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid on survival, growth and pigmentation in larvae of common sole (Solea solea L.)

Evidence confirms that polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), arachidonic acid (ARA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid, DHA are involved in growth as well in pigmentation of marine fish larvae.In the present study we examined the performance of common sole larvae reared on Artemia enriched with 10 formulated emulsions, differing in inclusions of ARA, EPA, and DHA. The specific growth rate of the sole larvae until late metamorphosis, 21 days after hatching (dah) was 20 to 27% d^− 1. Even though the relative tissue essential fatty acid (EFA) concentrations significantly reflected dietary composition, neither standard growth nor larval survival were significantly related to the absolute concentrations of ARA, EPA and DHA or their ratios. This suggests low requirements for essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in common sole. Malpigmentation was significantly related to increased dietary ARA content. However, pigmentation was not affected by inclusion levels of EPA or DHA when ARA was high. This, and no relation between DHA: EPA or ARA: EPA ratios and pigmentation and only a weak relation to ARA: DHA ratio, advocate for that it is the absolute concentration of ARA in larval tissues, that is responsible for malpigmentation rather than the relative concentration to other PUFAs.Within malpigmentation, the trait “albinism” was characterised by an abnormal incomplete eye migration, but this trait is suggested not to be related to dietary ARA. Furthermore, albinism resulted in a lower growth rate, which suggests that visual aberrations affected prey capture.     

Influence of highly unsaturated fatty acids in live food on larviculture of mud crab Scylla paramamosain (Estampador 1949)

Two experiments were carried out to investigate the effects of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and arachidonic acid (ARA) levels in rotifers (Brachionus plicatilis) and Artemia on the survival, development and metamorphosis of mud crab Scylla paramamosain larvae. Five different lipid emulsions, varying in the level of total n‐3 and n‐6 highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA), DHA, EPA and ARA were used to manipulate the fatty acid profile of the live food. Fatty acid profiles of the live food and crab larvae at zoea one, three and five stages were analysed to study the HUFA uptake by the larvae. The fatty acid content of the live food affected the fatty acid profiles of the crab larvae. In both experiments, the survival rate in the zoeal stages was not statistically different among treatments. However, larval development rate and metamorphosis success were affected by the dietary treatments. In this respect, the DHA/EPA ratio in the live food seems to be a key factor. Enrichment emulsions with a very high (50%) total HUFA content but a low DHA/EPA ratio (0.6), or zero total HUFA content caused developmental retardation and/or metamorphosis failure. An emulsion with a moderate total HUFA (30%) and a high DHA/EPA ratio (4) was the best in terms of larval development during the zoeal stages and resulted in improved metamorphosis. Dietary ARA seemed to improve first metamorphosis, but its exact role needs further clarification. For the larval rearing of S. paramamosain, an enrichment medium containing about 30% total n‐3 HUFA with a minimum DHA/EPA ratio of 1 is recommended. Further investigation is needed on the total HUFA and optimum DHA/EPA ratio requirements for each crab larval stage.     

Lipid classes and fatty acids during embryogenesis of captive and wild silverside (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Chirostoma estor estor</Emphasis>) from Pátzcuaro Lake

Lipid classes and fatty acid levels were analyzed in freshly fertilized eggs, early and late embryo development, and freshly hatched larvae obtained from wild and captive silverside Chirostoma estor estor broodstock, as well as in plankton, Artemia, and pelleted feed. The concentration of triglycerides (TGs) and highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs) in neutral lipid fraction significantly decreased during early development and especially after hatching, whereas phospholipids and HUFA in polar lipid fraction remained constant. These results indicate that TGs rather than PLs are used as energy sources and that all HUFAs [20:4n-6/arachidonic acid (ARA), 20:5n-3/eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and 22:6n-3/docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)] of polar lipids are selectively conserved during early development. High levels of DHA (30%, on average, of total fatty acids) and low levels of EPA (4%) were observed in eggs, embryos, and larvae and did not reflect the proportions of these fatty acids in food. Preferential accumulation of DHA from food consumed by broodstock, and then transference to eggs, was probably occurring. The main difference between eggs from both origins was a low level of ARA in eggs from captive fish (4% of total fatty acids) compared to wild fish (9%). This could be associated with a deficiency in the diet that is not compensated for by desaturation/elongation of 18:2n-6 and, possibly, with greater stress in captive fish. In any case, particular requirements of ARA should be determined to optimize the culture of C. estor.     

Effects of dietary eicosapentaenoic acid on growth, survival, pigmentation and fatty acid composition in Senegal sole (Solea senegalensis) larvae during the Artemia feeding period

We examined the effect of dietary eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n‐3) on growth, survival, pigmentation and fatty acid composition of Senegal sole larvae. From 3 to 40 days post‐hatch (dph), larvae were fed live food that had been enriched using one of four experimental emulsions containing graduated concentrations of EPA and constant docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n‐3) and arachidonic acid (ARA, 20:4n‐6). Final proportions of EPA in the enriched Artemia nauplii were described as ‘nil’ (EPA‐N, 0.5% total fatty acids, TFA), ‘low’ (EPA‐L, 10.7% TFA), ‘medium’ (EPA‐M, 20.3% TFA) or ‘high’ (EPA‐H, 29.5% TFA). Significant differences among dietary treatments in larval length were observed at 25, 30 and 40 dph, and in dry weight at 30 and 40 dph, although no significant correlation could be found between dietary EPA content and growth. Eye migration at 17 and 25 dph was affected by dietary levels of EPA. Significantly lower survival was observed in fish fed EPA‐H diet. Lower percentage of fish fed EPA‐N (82.7%) and EPA‐L (82.9%) diets were normally pigmented compared with the fish fed EPA‐M (98.1%) and EPA‐H (99.4%) enriched nauplii. Tissue fatty acid concentrations reflected the corresponding dietary composition. ARA and DHA levels in all the tissues examined were inversely related to dietary EPA. This work concluded that Senegal sole larvae have a very low EPA requirement during the live feeding period.     

Fatty acid nutritional quality of sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus (Lamarck 1816) eggs and endotrophic larvae: relevance for feeding of marine larval fish

Sea urchin eggs and larvae have been suggested as potential live prey for marine fish larval feeding. This study evaluated the fatty acid composition of Paracentrotus lividus eggs, prisms and four-armed plutei, obtained from wild and captive broodstocks fed on raw diets: maize, seaweed and a combination of maize and seaweed. Amounts of essential fatty acids (EFA) for marine fish larvae [arachidonic acid (ARA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA)] were determined in eggs and endotrophic larvae. ARA ranged from 3.93% in eggs from combination to 18.7% in plutei from maize diets. In any developmental stage, EPA amounts were always lower than 5% for the raw diets, and DHA showed null or trace amounts including the wild diet. Thus, broodstock-prepared diets had to be formulated based on different lipid sources (Algamac, linseed oil, cod liver oil and olive oil) in order to test eggs and larvae EFA enhancement. EFA improvement was possible for all tested prepared diets. Algamac diet lead to superior EFA enhancement mainly in DHA (7.24%, 4.92% and 6.09% for eggs, prisms and plutei, respectively) followed by cod liver oil diet. Only these two lipid sources should be considered for prepared broodstock diets in order to obtain suitable live prey for fish larval feeding.     

Lipid enrichment for Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) larvae: effect on larval growth, survival and fatty acid profile

Results from three larval Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) feeding trials using non-enriched Artemia and Artemia enriched with Super HUFA®, Arasco®, sunflower oil and microalgae are presented and the effects on larval survival, growth and fatty acid (FA) composition are reported. The FA profile of Senegalese sole eggs was analysed to gather information about the nutritional requirements of the early larval stages and a quite high DHA/EPA ratio (4.3) was found. However, there was no evidence of a high dietary demand for DHA or EPA, given that no relationship was found between dietary HUFA concentration and larval growth and survival. When larvae were fed non-enriched Artemia a significantly better growth and comparable survival were obtained than with Artemia enriched with Super HUFA® (containing the highest HUFA level and DHA/EPA ratio). The FA profiles of the larvae generally reflected those of their diets. DHA was an exception, as it was present in high proportions, even in larvae fed DHA-deficient prey. Total FAME concentration decreased during larval development, with SFA, MUFA and PUFA being equally consumed; HUFA appeared to be less used, with its relative concentration being either kept constant (particularly EPA and ARA) or increased (DHA). A specific requirement for ARA in the first larval stages could not be confirmed but it was always present in considerable amounts, even in larvae fed an ARA poor diet.     

Assessment of dietary lipid sources in tropical gar,Atractosteus tropicus larvae: Growth parameters and intermediary lipogenic gene expression

Five experimental diets containing different lipid sources, fish oil (D1), soybean lecithin (D2), corn oil (D3), canola oil (D4) and olive oil (D5), were evaluated in Atractosteus tropicus larvae for the relative gene expression of the enzymes fatty acid synthase (fas), acetyl‐CoA carboxylase 1 (acc1) and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1C (cpt1c), in addition to their effects on larval growth, survival and cannibalism during a 30‐day feeding trial. Higher growth and survival were obtained in treatments D1 and D2, and lower performance in diets D3, D4 and D5. The highest levels of expression of fas and acc1 occurred in larvae fed with D1, which contained high amounts of n‐3 long‐chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC‐PUFA), mainly DHA and EPA FA are regulators of lipogenesis. The higher cpt1c expression in plant‐based diets is attributed to the fact that these diets are rich in α‐linolenic acid (ALA) and low DHA, EPA and ARA levels that favour ß‐oxidation. In conclusion, the diets with fish oil (D1) and soybean lecithin (D2) were the best treatments for larval growth, survival and cannibalism and thus appear to meet both lipid and energy requirements of A. tropicus larvae, meanwhile the use of vegetable oils influences the expression of intermediary lipogenic genes.     

Growth, survival, lipid composition and pigmentation of turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) larvae fed live-prey enriched in Arachidonic and Eicosapentaenoic acids

Turbot larvae were fed live-prey enriched with different levels of arachidonic (ARA) and eicosapentaenoic (EPA) acids to study the effects of these fatty acids on body composition and pigmentation success. Significantly reduced pigmentation was obtained in those fish fed medium and high ARA diets for 43 days. Growth and survival were the same for all groups. The incorporation of ARA and EPA in fish eyes, brains, livers and carcasses reflected the percentage of these fatty acids in the diets. ARA accumulation was similar in all tissues, but brain accumulated EPA was less efficient than the other tissues examined. A highly significant, negative correlation was found between the %ARA in turbot juvenile brain total lipids and pigmentation success. A weaker, positive correlation was found between brain EPA and pigmentation. Increasing dietary ARA affected the fatty acid composition of turbot brain phosphoglycerides more than increasing dietary EPA, especially in phosphatidylinositol (PI) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). A negative relationship was found between percentage normal pigmentation and ARA levels in brain phosphatidylcholine (PC), PE and phosphatidylserine (PS). Elevated levels of ARA in PI also resulted in malpigmented juveniles, but EPA:ARA ratios ≥1 in PI were associated with normal pigmentation. We conclude that, given a sufficiency of dietary docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), the optimum dietary level of EPA is not a function of DHA, but of dietary ARA.     

Advanced broodstock diets for the mangrove red snapper and a potential importance of arachidonic acid in eggs and fry

Mangrove red snapper fed advanced broodstock diets containing squid meal and squid oil exhibited higher hatching rates, cumulative survival and survival activity index than those fed a basal diet or a basal diet supplemented with mixture of antioxidants. On the other hand, fatty acid analyses of ovaries and fry of wild fish and eggs and larvae of broodstock fed raw fish revealed high arachidonic acid (ARA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) levels and relatively lower eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) levels consequently showing high ARA/EPA and DHA/EPA ratios compared to cold water species. This suggests that ARA may be nutritionally more important for egg and larval development and survival in tropical marine fish and its supplementation in broodstock diets may enhance reproductive performance of mangrove red snapper.     

Optimization of emulsion properties and enrichment conditions used in live prey enrichment

Five variables relating to the enrichment of live prey were studied using experimental micellar emulsions. Rotifers and Artemia nauplii were enriched for 12 and 24 hrs, respectively, and sampled at several intervals to analyse their fatty acid profile and determine the better time length for enrichment. Two hour and 18 hr were shown to be the most effective in boosting rotifer and nauplii, respectively, with arachidonic (ARA), eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) fatty acids as well as in total lipid content. Three doses of the same emulsion were also used to check which one conferred the best fatty acid profile. In this case, the higher the dose utilized the higher the content of DHA present in the live food. The use of 15 g/Kg–20 g/Kg of egg yolk as emulsifier was proved to be very effective on rotifer boosting, whereas for nauplii, the amount of emulsifier might be reduced. Egg‐derived emulsifiers have been shown to be more effective for rotifer enrichment while for Artemia nauplii, soy lecithin rendered a better fatty acid profile. Finally, live prey lipid composition paralleled that of the oil used in the emulsion formula although rotifers were far more easily enriched than Artemia nauplii especially in DHA but not in EPA or ARA.     

Effect of green and clear water and lipid source on survival, growth and biochemical composition of Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei

Despite the shrimp ability to obtain additional nutrients from food organisms endogenously produced within the ‘green water’ system has been suggested as one of the causes for the better performance of Pacific white shrimp reared in ‘green water’ in comparison with ‘clear water’, the nutritional components responsible for these effects have yet to be determined. The present study aims to understand the importance of natural food organisms in zero‐water exchange systems as source of essential fatty acids for the Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. Five treatments were tested: two conducted in mesocosms systems with shrimp‐fed diets containing either fish oil (FO) or olive oil, and another three conducted in clear water with shrimp‐fed diets containing either olive oil, a docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)‐rich oil or an arachidonic acid (ARA)‐rich oil. The presence of higher levels of fatty acids 16:1n‐7, 17:1, 20:4n‐6, 20:3n‐3 and 22:5n‐6, characteristic of floc lipids, in shrimp reared in mesocosms denoted their assimilation from the floc. Substitution of FO by olive oil in diets for shrimp reared in mesocosms did not affect growth or survival. Survival and growth of shrimp reared in mesocosms was better than those reared in clear water and fed an olive oil diet, whereas DHA or ARA enrichment of non‐fish oil (NFO) diet improved survival of shrimp reared in clear water. Higher survival rate, triglyceride and DHA content in whole body and eyes of shrimp fed a DHA‐rich diet suggests that under these conditions, in clear water, it is necessary to include at least 4.8 g kg^?1 DHA in diet dry weight. ARA enrichment seemed to negatively affect growth. The nutritional contribution of the floc to shrimp in mesocosm culture reduces or eliminates the need for a dietary source of FO and illustrates the importance of DHA and ARA to enhance shrimp survival in clear water conditions.     

Effects of dietary docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n‐3) and arachidonic acid (20:4n‐6) on the growth,survival, stress resistance and fatty acid composition in black sea bass Centropristis striata (Linnaeus 1758) larvae

The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of the dietary docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to arachidonic acid (ARA) ratio on the survival, growth, hypersaline stress resistance and tissue composition of black sea bass larvae raised from first feeding to metamorphic stages. Larvae were fed enriched rotifers Brachionus rotundiformis and Artemia nauplii containing two levels of DHA (0% and 10% total fatty acids=TFA) in conjunction with three levels of ARA (0%, 3% and 6% TFA). On d24ph, larvae fed the 10:6 (DHA:ARA) treatment showed significantly (P<0.05) higher survival (62.3%) than larvae fed 0:0 (DHA:ARA) (27.4%). Notochord length and dry weight were also significantly (P<0.05) greater in the 10:6 (DHA:ARA) treatment (8.65 mm, 2.14 mg) than in the 0:0 (DHA:ARA) (7.7 mm, 1.65 mg) treatment. During hypersaline (65 g L⁻¹) challenge, no significant differences (P>0.05) were observed in the median survival time (ST50) between larvae fed 10% DHA (ST50=25.6 min) and larvae fed 0% DHA (ST50=18.2 min). The results suggested that black sea bass larvae fed prey containing 10% DHA with increasing ARA within the range of 0–6% showed improved growth and survival from first feeding through metamorphic stages.     

The effect of dietary n-3 HUFA levels and DHA/EPA ratios on growth, survival and osmotic stress tolerance of Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis larvae

The effect of varying levels of dietary n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acid (HUFA) and docosahexaenoic acid/eicosapentaenoic acid (DHA/EPA) ratios on growth, survival and osmotic stress tolerance of Eriocheir sinensis zoea larvae was studied in two separate experiments. In experiment I, larvae were fed rotifers and Artemia enriched with ICES emulsions with 0, 30 and 50% total n-3 HUFA levels but with the same DHA/EPA ratio of 0.6. In experiment II, larvae were fed different combinations of enriched rotifers and Artemia, in which, rotifers were enriched with emulsions containing 30% total n-3 HUFA, but different DHA/EPA ratio of 0.6, 2 and 4; while Artemia were enriched with the same emulsions, but DHA/EPA ratio of 0.6 and 4. In both experiments, un-enriched rotifers cultured on baker's yeast and newly-hatched Artemia nauplii were used as control diets. Larvae were fed rotifers at zoea 1 and zoea 2 stages; upon reaching zoea 3 stage, Artemia was introduced.Experiment I revealed no significant effect of prey enrichment on the survival of megalopa among treatments, but higher total n-3 HUFA levels significantly enhanced larval development (larval stage index, LSI) and resulted in higher individual dry body weight of megalopa. Furthermore higher dietary n-3 HUFA levels also resulted in better tolerance to salinity stress. Experiment II indicated that at the same total n-3 HUFA level, larvae continuously receiving a low dietary DHA/EPA ratio had significantly lower survival at the megalopa stage and inferior individual body weight at the megalopa stage, but no negative effect was observed on larval development (LSI). The ability to endure salinity stress of zoea 3, zoea 5 and megalopa fed diets with higher DHA/EPA ratio was also improved.     

Improvement of nutritional quality of live feed for aquaculture: An overview

In hatcheries, the adequate supply of live feed has a vital role in feeding fish larvae, fry and fingerlings. Furthermore, the enhancement of the nutritional quality of live feeds is well‐developed techniques in aquaculture. Essential fatty acids (EFA) such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; C22:6 n?3), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5(n?3) and arachidonic acid (ARA; 20:4(n?6) and amino acids are an essential source of proteins for larval rearing of fish. However, the common practised live feeds used for the primary feeding such as rotifers and Artemia are naturally deficient in essential nutrient components. Hence, the improvement of the nutritional quality of live feeds with different oil emulsions and commercial diets, and manipulation of the feed are necessary for fish production. The production protocols of copepods, Moina and fairy shrimps as live feed are still underdeveloped in hatcheries. The different lipid sources using for the enrichment of Artemia and rotifers are not effective on other live feeds, especially copepods and cladocerans (Moina, Daphnia) and fairy shrimps. This review focuses on the importance of live feeds by the techniques of feed enhancement or enrichment of zooplankton by direct incorporation of nutrients for feeding of early stages of fish.     

Rhodovulum sulfidophilum,a phototrophic bacterium,grown in palm oil mill effluent improves the larval survival of marble goby Oxyeleotris marmorata (Bleeker)

Survival of marble goby larvae fed either Rhodovulum sulfidophilum, a phototrophic bacterium cultured from palm oil mill effluent (pPB), or microalgae ( Nannochloropsis sp.) was evaluated at two salinities. Larvae directly fed pPB had survival of 0–29% at 5 g L^?1 salinity and 0–19% at 10 g L^?1 salinity, whereas larvae directly fed microalgae suffered complete mortality after 20 days of culture at both salinities. However, larvae indirectly fed pPB or microalgae, i.e. via rotifers (Days 1–30) and Artemia nauplii (Days 21–30) cultured solely from pPB or microalgae, showed improved survival of 35–55% or 44–49% at 5 g L^?1 salinity respectively. In all experiments, fish larvae reared at 5 g L^?1 salinity showed significantly higher (P < 0.01) mean survival than those reared at 10 g L^?1 salinity. The survival of larvae fed the bacterial‐based diet was higher compared with microalgal diet used in previous studies. The pPB had higher total polyunsaturated fatty acids and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) than the microalgae, which had very high eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Larvae with very high ratios of DHA/EPA (>11) or/and ARA (arachidonic acid)/EPA (>5), attributable to their given diet, however suffered the highest mortality.     

Importance of dietary arachidonic acid for the growth,survival and stress resistance of larval European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) fed high dietary docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic acids

Together with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), arachidonic acid (ARA) is being considered to be an essential fatty acid in marine fish larval diets. The objective of the present study was to determine the importance of dietary ARA levels for larval European sea bass performance, when EPA and DHA are also present in the diet. Eighteen‐day‐old larvae were fed, for 14 days, gelatine‐based microdiets containing the following ARA levels: 0.3%, 0.6% or 1.2%. Elevation of dietary ARA up to 1.2% showed a positive correlation with larval survival and a significant improvement in the specific growth rates, body weight and total length. Arachidonic acid was efficiently incorporated into larval lipids, even at a higher proportion than that in the diets. Increased accumulation of ARA did not affect the incorporation of DHA or EPA from the diet into larval total lipids. A significant positive correlation was found between dietary ARA levels and survival after handling stress, indicating the importance of this fatty acid in sea bass larvae response to acute stressors. The results show the importance of ARA for sea bass larvae, but higher dietary levels should be tested to determine whether there is a negative effect of ARA in sea bass as reported for other species.     

HUFA content and DHA/EPA improvements of Artemia sp. with commercial oils during different enrichment periods

Several commercial oils of plant and animal origin were tested in order to improve the HUFA content and the DHA:EPA ratio of Artemia sp. metanauplii. The relationship between the n-3 and n-6 fatty acid series, and more recently, the DHA:EPA ratio seem to be indicators for better survival and growth of marine fish larvae. The tested plant oils were derived from linseed, peanut and sunflower, and the animal oils came from squid, sardine, cod liver and Selco emulsion. For each oil emulsion tested, four different enrichment periods (9, 24, 33 and 48 h) were evaluated in the same Artemia sp. strain (Artemia EG from Artemia Systems Inc., Baasrode, Belgium). The results show that oil emulsions of plant origin give very poor results in relation to either HUFA content or DHA:EPA ratio. All the oil emulsions from animal origin resulted in HUFA incorporation. Sardine oil was the poorest and squid oil the best. The HUFA content and the DHA:EPA ratio increased with enrichment periods up to 33 h, followed by a negligible variation up to the final 48 h.     

The effect of PUFA enriched Artemia on growth, survival and lipid composition of western rock lobster, Panulirus cygnus, phyllosoma

Western rock lobster, Panulirus cygnus, phyllosoma were grown from hatching to stage IV. Larvae were fed with Artemia enriched with a (i) base enrichment (Base) containing 520 g kg^?1 squid oil or tailor made enrichments in which oils high in polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) have been added at the expense of squid oil. These treatments were (ii) base enrichment supplemented with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) rich oil, (iii) base enrichment supplemented with arachidonic acid (AA) rich oil, or (iv) base enrichment supplemented with DHA and AA (D + A) rich oils. Total survival of phyllosoma to stage IV was high, with no significant difference between treatments (range 12.3–17.5%). By stage IV, the larvae fed the DHA or AA enriched Artemia were significantly larger (3.33 mm length) than larvae fed the Base or D + A enriched Artemia (3.18–3.24 mm length). Phyllosoma were sampled at stages II and III for biochemical analysis. The major lipid class (LC) in all phyllosoma was polar lipid (PL) (88.9–92.4%), followed by sterol (ST) (6.2–9.7%). Triacylglycerol (TAG), free fatty acid (FFA) and hydrocarbon/wax ester were minor components (≤1%) in all phyllosoma samples. In contrast, the major LC in all enrichments and enriched Artemia was TAG (76.3–85.1% and 53.4–60.2%, respectively), followed by PL (11.4–14.8% and 30.6–38.1% respectively). The main fatty acids (FA) in phyllosoma were 16:0, 18:1n‐9, 18:1n‐7, 18:0, AA, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and DHA. Addition of AA, and to a lesser extent DHA, to enrichments resulted in increased levels of those FA in Artemia and phyllosoma compared with the Base enrichment. This was particularly evident for stage III larvae. Comparatively, elevated growth for phyllosoma to stage IV was achieved with DHA and AA enriched diets. Our findings highlight the importance of lipids and in particular essential long‐chain PUFA, as nutritional components for phyllosoma diets.     

Effects of dietary vegetable oils and varying dietary EPA and DHA levels on intestinal lipid accumulations in Atlantic salmon

High dietary content of vegetable oil (VO) has been associated with increased intestinal lipid accumulations in fish. The extent of this in aquacultured Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) and its health effects are not certain. Samples were therefore collected from two separate feeding trials to investigate the effect of high dietary VO on intestinal lipid accumulations in Atlantic salmon. In the first trial, the fish were fed diets high in plant protein and with fish oil or ~80% of the fish oil replaced with either olive oil, rapeseed oil or soybean oil in a land‐based experimental set‐up. The second trial was performed in sea cages under commercial production conditions, and the fish were fed two dietary concentrations of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (9.7% or 5.5% EPA + DHA of total fatty acids). Neither dietary VO nor variations in EPA and DHA led to any significant effects on intestinal health or lipid accumulations. There were, however, indications of a delayed lipid transport in the rapeseed oil‐fed fish of the first trial, possibly caused by high dietary ≥18‐carbon fatty acids and low dietary 16:0 fatty acid and cholesterol.     

Growth and lipid composition of phyllosomata of the southern rock lobster, Jasus edwardsii, fed enriched Artemia

Newly hatched phyllosoma larvae of Jasus edwardsii were on‐grown to stage V. Using triacylglycerol‐rich marine oil nutrient sources and microalgae, Artemia were enriched with the major polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) to ratios similar to that of wild‐caught phyllosomata. Artemia enriched by different methods were fed to cultured phyllosomata. At each stage animals were counted, measured and sampled for lipid analyses. Survival was highest from stages II to III (62–86%), with mean total survival at 3–12%. From stages I to V larvae increased in mass (0.2–2.2 mg) and total length (2.1–5.8 mm), and decreased in total lipid. The major lipid class in all phyllosomata was polar lipid, followed by sterol, with no triacylglycerol detected. The main fatty acids were 18:1(n‐9)c, 18:2(n‐6), 16:0, 18:0, eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA; 20:5(n‐3)], 18:1(n‐7)c, arachidonic acid [AA; 20:4(n‐6)] and docosahexaenoic acid [DHA; 22:6(n‐3)]. On‐grown phyllosomata had levels of AA and EPA similar to that of wild phyllosomata, but contained markedly lower levels of DHA. Strategies for enhancement of DHA levels will be needed for culture of rock lobster phyllosomata.