Effect of Rotifer Enrichment on Sunshine Bass Morone chrysops × M. saxatilis Larvae Growth and Survival and Fatty Acid Composition

The effect of enriching rotifer prey with highly unsaturated fatty acids on sunshine bass Morone chrysops × M. saxatilis larval survival and growth from ages 4 to 12 d posthatch was determined. Comparisons were made among larvae fed (1) rotifers cultured with Nannochloropsis paste versus rotifers cultured with Nannochloropsis paste and enriched with Culture Selco 3000; (2) no rotifers versus rotifers cultured with Nannochloropsis paste and enriched with Culture Selco 3000; and (3) rotifers cultured with Nannochloropsis paste and enriched with Culture Selco 3000, rotifers cultured with Nannochloropsis and Pavlova pastes and enriched with Culture Selco 3000, and rotifers cultured with Nannochloropsis paste and enriched with Culture Selco 3000 and Super Selco. The only differences in survival were unfed larvae with practically no survival compared to 55.4% survival for larvae fed rotifers cultured with paste plus Culture Selco 3000. Larvae fed rotifers cultured with paste plus Culture Selco 3000 were longer and had greater condition than those fed rotifers cultured with paste. Additional enrichment with Pavlova sp. or Super Selco had no affect. A canonical analysis of fatty acid contents of diets, rotifers, and fry supported evidence from harvest results. Distances between centroids indicated distinct differences among diets, less distinction among the rotifers, and little difference among fry. Enrichment enhanced growth, but additional enrichment beyond that done during rotifer culture did not increase survival, growth, or condition.