Heat treatment affects protein quality and protease activity in decapsulated cysts of Artemia when used as starter food for larvae of African catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell)

Decapsulated cysts of Artemia subjected to different heat treatments (40, 60, 80 and 96 °C) were fed to African catfish Clarias gariepinus larvae. Heated cysts, untreated cysts and live Artemia nauplii as control constituted the experimental diets. Protein denaturation and solubility, total alkaline protease and specific trypsin activities in the cyst diets were evaluated. The growth of catfish larvae and the proteolytic activity of larval samples during development were also determined. Heat treatment of cysts increased protein denaturation and decreased protein solubility. The protease activity in the cyst diets decreased with higher heating temperatures. The growth of catfish larvae differed according to the diet; higher fish growth was achieved with nauplii and cysts heated at 40 °C. The digestive enzyme activity in larval samples remained similar in all dietary treatments during larval development. The quality of food protein and the way this protein is processed might be more important for successful larval growth than exogenous enzyme supply.     

Feeding Larval Red Drum on Microparticulate Diets in a Closed Recirculating Water System1

A feeding protocol was developed for red drum larvae based on combining a commercial microparticulate diet (Kyowa Fry Feed) with live prey (rotifers) in a closed, water reuse system. In five trials, growth and survival were measured on larvae reared on a combination of live and microdiet for 1–5 d and then microdiet alone. Results in each trial were compared to control larvae reared on live rotifers Brachionus plicatilis and brine shrimp nauplii Artemia salinas. The most satisfactory combination was feeding live food and microdiet together for the first five days and then completely discontinuing live prey, eliminating the need to feed brine shrimp to the larvae. Growth rates of larvae fed progressively larger sizes of the microdiet were as good as larvae reared on live prey. Both groups metamorphosed to the juvenile stage at less than one month. Survival rates on the five day live food and microdiet combination were a remarkable 60% from egg to the juvenile stage. The successful weaning of red drum to microdiets paves the way to produce a semipurified diet to test nutrient requirements of larval fish.     

Growth and Survival of Larval and Postlarval Smallmouth Bass Fed a Commercially Prepared Dry Feed and/or Artemia Nauplii

Growth and survival rates of smallmouth bass ( Micropterus dolomieui ) were compared for fishes reared from larval stages, for three weeks using different feeding regimes. Diets consisted of a commercial dry diet formulated for larval fishes, the dry diet plus Artemia salina nauplii, and Artemia salina nauplii alone. Smallmouth bass on the three diets showed average daily gains of 0.7, 0.7 and 0.5 mm/day and 11.0, 11.4 and 5.2 mg/day, respectively. Condition factors for the three diets were not significantly different ( P > 0.05). Mean survival rates were 39, 85 and 77% respectively.     

Larval rearing of the shrimps Metapenaeus ensis (de Haan) and Penaeus chinensis (Osbeck) on artificial feed

Abstract. This study explored the feasibility of completely replacing live foods with an artificial diet for rearing the larvae of Metapenaeus ensis (de Haan) and Penaeus chinensis (Osbeck). The artificial diets tested were a microparticulate diet developed at the Centre Océanologique du Pacifique, Tahiti, and Artificial Plankton B.P. (Nippai Shrimp Feed Inc., Japan). Survival and development of shrimp were assessed in 1-l cones stocked with 100 nauplius V-VI or protozoea I larvae. Live feeds of the diatom Chaetoceros gracilis and Artemia nauplii served as controls. Whereas the larvae could be reared to post-larvae with artificial diets alone, the highest survival and development rates were always obtained with live foods. Larvae fed with artificial diets had retarded development and their survival to post-larvae was always lower than those fed live foods. Total replacement of live foods with artificial diets resulted in a reduction in the body length of post-larvae I in P.chinensis . Supplementing Artificial Plankton B.P. with Artemia nauplii enhanced survival and development in this species. It was concluded that the two artificial diets are not satisfactory complete substitutes for live foods in raising the two penaeids but can be used as a convenient supplement when algal diet is limited.     

Evaluation of a spray-dried artificial diet for larval culture of freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii, and striped bass, Morone saxatilis

Larvae of the freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii (De Man), and the striped bass, Morone saxatilis (Walbaum), were fed artificial diets manufactured by a spray-drying process or live Artemia nauplii , separately or in various combinations. Spray-dried diets were neutrally buoyant, water stable (low protein leaching rate), and were satisfactorily consumed as verified by the observation of full guts after feeding. Survival and growth of larvae fed live Artemia nauplii was significantly greater than those of larvae fed spray-dried diets. Lowest survival and growth rates were observed when larvae were fed artificial diets exclusively from the onset of exogenous feeding. Survival rates were positively related to the duration of feeding live Artemia nauplii before weaning to artificial diets. The poor performance associated with spray-dried artificial diets may be the result of the digestive capabilities of the larvae of caridean shrimp and striped bass being insufficient to process compact, dense particles.     

Characterization of two microparticle types for delivery of food to altricial fish larvae

The characteristics of two microparticulate types were determined for delivery of nutrients to fish larvae. A yeast-based commercial diet for larval fish (Microfeast Plus L-10, Salt Creek, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT, USA) was encapsulated within cross-linked protein-walled capsules (CLPWC) or gelatin-alginate beads (GAB). Microparticle stability was determined by encapsulating a nontoxic red dye (Poly R 478) within CLPWC or GAB. The stabilities of both particle types suggested that high molecular weight, water-soluble nutrients could be delivered to freshwater fish larvae without major losses from leaching. Acceptability experiments included determination of gut fullness and feeding incidence of zebrafish Brachydanio rerio larvae fed on the two particle types. Acceptability of GAB by first-feeding zebrafish larvae was significantly greater than that for CLPWC. Acceptability of CLPWC increased in larger larvae and was similar to that for GAB. Both particle types were broken down by first-feeding zebrafish larvae. Growth experiments with CLPWC showed that up to 40% substitution of Artemia nauplii could be accomplished without reduced growth and survival of zebrafish larvae after a feeding period of 8 days. Twenty per cent substitution of Artemia nauplii could be achieved with GAB without reduced growth and survival.     

日本鳗鲡仔鱼的开口饵料和行为特征

在连续多年日本鳗鲡人工繁殖实验的基础上,研究了不同饵料对日本鳗鲡仔鱼存活率的影响,并记录了仔鱼的运动特征和摄食行为。结果显示,与对照组(不投饵)相比,投喂以鲨鱼卵、磷虾提取液为基础的饵料和以鲨鱼卵、海蜇匀浆液为基础的饵料以及微绿球藻液均提高了日本鳗鲡仔鱼的存活率,仔鱼发育至柳叶鳗前期阶段;而投喂以鲨鱼卵、卤虫匀浆液为基础的饵料和以卤虫匀浆液、磷虾提取液为基础的饵料,以及轮虫、海带+龙须菜匀浆液或海蜇以及发酵鲨鱼肉,均降低日本鳗鲡仔鱼的存活率。实验同时还研究了日本鳗鲡仔鱼的主动摄食行为,摄食时仔鱼先用吻端反复多次触碰食物,然后张开下颌咬食,证实了日本鳗鲡早期仔鱼的摄食方式是触碰后咬食。     

Feeding larvae of winter flounder Pseudopleuronectes americanus (Walbaum) with live prey or microencapsulated diet: linear growth and protein, RNA and DNA content

A commercial microencapsulated diet was used as a total or partial replacement of live prey for feeding larvae of winter flounder Pseudopleuronectes americanus (Walbaum), a potential alternative finfish species for coldwater marine aquaculture. Growth performance (morphometric measurements and biochemical composition) and nutritional condition (RNA/DNA ratios) of larvae fed live prey (Brachionus plicatilis Müller), a microencapsulated diet or a mixed diet of live prey and microcapsules were compared. Newly hatched larvae were unable to digest microencapsulated diet; live prey at initial feeding was required for their survival and growth. Larvae offered a mixed diet showed slower growth than larvae fed exclusively with live prey. However, at the onset of stomach differentiation, RNA/DNA ratios (indicators of protein synthesis potential) of the larvae fed both diets became similar. We suggest that, at that stage (size 5.5–6.3 mm), enzymatic activity had developed enough to allow digestion of inert food. As the RNA/DNA ratio is a good indicator of nutritional condition, it appears to be an interesting tool for the assessment of diet adequacy in marine larval feeding technology.     

The Effect of Live and Artificial Diets on Growth, Survival, and Trypsin Activity in Larvae of Penaeus indicus

In this study, partial and total replacement of live diets (microalgae and Artemia nauplii) with microencapsulated diets (MED) are demonstrated for larval culture of P. indicus . Slower growth and lower survival rate of larvae fed experimental MED were significantly improved by a supplement of 15 cells/μL frozen mixed algae (1:2, Tetrtaselmis and Skeletonema ) during protod stages (PZ1–PZ3). This low level of algal supplement to MED resulted in survival (85–92%) equal to that obtained from control live diets (91%) during protod stages. These significant improvements in larval growth and survival are likely to be due to higher larval digestive enzyme activities and hence more efficient digestion of the artificial diet by the larvae. Like other penaeids, P. indicus larvae show high total and tissue trypsin activities during PZ stages, with a peak at mysis stage 1 (M1), and a decrease during subsequent stages when fed on conventional live diets of algae followed by Artemia during mysis stages. Larvae fed 15 ceUs/μL mixed frozen algae in addition to MED demonstrated a significantly higher trypsin activity throughout herbivorous larval stages in comparison to larvae fed solely on MED. A freeze dried alga Rhinomonas reticulata incorporated into a MED at 23Vo (v/v) induced larval trypsin activity equal to that produced by live algae. Hence, the algal substances, which trigger digestive enzyme production, may be retained within the microcapsules. At mysis stages, however, addition of live prey (one Artemia/ mL) to cultures fed with MED significantly improved growth and survival although it depressed trypsin activity. For mysis stages it appears that the use of predigested ingredients is necessary to improve the digestibility of formulated diets.