Use of the Nematode Panagrellus redivivus as an Artemia Replacement in a Larval Penaeid Diet

Penueus vannumei larvae (P₂ through M₃) and early postlarvae (<24 h old postlarva) were fed diets consisting of algae-only, nematodes ( Panugrellus redivivus ) plus algae or Artemia plus algae. Growth (dry biomass gain) of second and third stage protozoea larvae fed the nematodealgae diet was significantly better than that of larvae fed the Artemia-algae diet. From the first mysis through the postlarval substage (<24 h old), growth of shrimp fed the nematodealgae diet equalled that of larvae fed the Artemia-algae diet. All larval substages fed nematodes plus algae accumulated significantly greater biomass than those fed a diet of only algae. Survival and percent metamorphosis of larvae fed nematodes plus algae did not differ significantly from that of larvae fed either Artemia plus algae or algae alone. A nematodealgae feeding regime, which potentially yields growth, survival and metamorphosis equal to that obtained on the standard Artemia plus algae regime, is proposed for P. vannamei .     

Effect of diet and light regime on growth and survival of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) larvae and early juveniles

Growth of larval sharptooth catfish Clarias gariepinus fed live Artemia nauplii , a specially prepared dry feed (MN-3), a commercial dry salmon starter feed (Silver Cup 3600), or a combination of 50% live Artemia and 50% MN-3, under conditions of either light or dark for 21 days was studied. For all diets, fish reared in darkened tanks were significantly larger than those in illuminated tanks from day 8 onwards. Fish fed a combination of live Artemia plus MN-3 grew significantly more quickly than those fed either live Artemia or MN-3 only. On day 21 of the experiment, average weight of fish fed the combined diet was 649 ± 30 mg (mean ± SEM ) in darkened tanks and 445 ± 16 mg in illuminated tanks, while those fed Artemia alone were 242 ± 9 and 198 ± 13 mg (dark and light, respectively) and fish fed MN-3 only were intermediate at 377 ± 20 and 267 ± 16 mg (dark and light, respectively). Catfish fed the salmon starter initially grew slowly, but after day 11 grew more quickly than the other groups. Mortalities were highest for fish fed salmon feed.
Permanent darkness enhances the growth of C. gariepinus larvae during and after metamorphosis. While dry diets promoted higher growth rate than live Artemia nauplii alone, a combination of the two resulted in the fastest growth.     

Diet and Light Intensity Effects on Survival, Growth and Pigmentation of Southern Flounder Paralichthys lethostigma

Interest in the culture of flatfishes has increased globally due to high consumer demand and decreased commercial landings. The Southern flounder Paralichthys lethostigma inhabit South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico waters and support important commercial and recreational fisheries. In spring, 1996, a two-part larval rearing study was performed with Southern flounder to examine the effects of three larval diets and two light intensities on survival, growth, and pigmentation. The first part of the study consisted of feeding 6 d post-hatch (dph) (3.0 ± 0.1 mm TL) larvae three diets: 1) rotifers Brachionus plicatilis at a rate of 10/mL from day 1–9 and Artemia nauplii (3/mL) from day 7 through metamorphosis; 2) rotifers fed day 1 through metamorphosis and Artemia fed day 7 through metamorphosis; or 3) same diet as treatment 1 plus a commercial larval diet added day 13 through metamorphosis. The second part of the study examined the effects of two light levels: low-light (mean 457 lux) and high-light (mean 1362 lux). At 24 C, metamorphosis began on day 23 (mean fish size 8.2 ± 0.6 mm TL) in all treatments and was completed by day 30. Analysis of survival, size, and pigmentation data indicated there were no significant differences among feed treatments or between light treatments. Overall survival was 33.4% (±15.9) and mean length was 11.5 mm TL ± 1.3. Only 35% of the larvae were normally pigmented. Reexamination of the pigmentation on day 37 indicated fish reared at the low light intensity through metamorphosis (day 30) but exposed to high light intensity for 1 wk post-metamorphosis had become significantly more pigmented.     

Nutrient composition and metamorphosis success of Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus, L.) larvae fed natural zooplankton or Artemia

Atlantic halibut larvae were fed docosohexanoic acid- (DHA) selco enriched Artemia (RH-cysts) or wild zooplankton in duplicate tanks from first-feeding and 60 days onward. The zooplankton were collected from a fertilized sea water pond and consisted mainly of different stages of Eurytemora affinis and Centropages hamatus . There were no differences in survival, or in growth during the first 45 days of feeding, between larvae fed the two prey items, but the larvae fed Artemia showed much higher incidence of malpigmentation and impaired eye migration than larvae fed zooplankton. The prey organisms contained similar amounts of dry matter and protein, but Artemia was higher in lipid and glycogen than the zooplankton. Larvae fed Artemia were higher in both glycogen and lipid than the zooplankton-fed larvae towards the end of the feeding period. There were large differences between the prey organisms in the concentrations of essential fatty acids (% of total fatty acids) which was reflected in the fatty acid composition of the larval body. It is concluded that the macronutrient composition of Artemia in the present study was probably within the optimal range for promotion of growth and survival in young Atlantic halibut. The concentration of n-3 HUFA, and especially DHA, is however, very much lower in enriched Artemia than in copepods, and may be one of the factors triggering developmental errors in Atlantic halibut.     

营养强化的轮虫、卤虫对牙鲆仔鱼的成活、生长及体脂肪酸组成的影响

用3种营养强化剂强化的轮虫和卤虫无节幼体投喂牙鲆仔鱼,研究牙鲆仔鱼的生长、成活、体脂肪酸的组成。结果表明:用强化的轮虫和卤虫无节幼体投喂牙鲆仔鱼,成活率、增重均显著高于对照组(p<0 01),其中V号强化剂的效果最好,成活率为29 34%,比对照组提高100%;增重倍数为217 90,比对照组提高68 61%;这是由于V号强化剂强化的卤虫无节幼体体内含有较多的AA的缘故,饵料中AA含量的提高,可以提高牙鲆仔鱼的成活率、促进其生长。牙鲆摄食强化过的轮虫、卤虫无节幼体后,其EPA、DHA、n-3HUFA、PUFA的含量随着饵料中含量的升高而升高,这也是牙鲆仔鱼生长速度和成活率提高的重要因素之一。     

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.     

Survival and Growth of Crangon nigricauda Larvae (Decapoda, Caridea) Raised on Experimental Diets

Newly hatched Crangon zoeae from different maternal shrimp were raised separately using an Imhoff cone larval-rearing system. Experimental diets were Chaetoceros gracile , live Artemia nauplii, lyophilized Arremia nauplii particles, calcium alginate microencapsulated (CAM) Artemia nauplii, lyophilized Daphnia magna and CAM Daphnia magna . A dependable "atomizer" design for lab oratory preparation of CAM diets was developed. Initially, survival rates of zoeae fed either Chaetoceros or live Artemia nauplii were evaluated in order to establish a suitable control diet for subsequent growth experiments, and the interbrood and intrabrood components of zoed survival variation were analyzed.
Crangon zoeae ate every type of food offered to them, but only Chaeroceros- fed zoeae survived to metamorphosis. Zoeal survival rates were extremely variable. Interbrood variation was greater than intrabrood variation, but the difference was not statistically significant. Zoeae from smaller maternal shrimp were generally more active and had greater survival rates than zoeae from larger, presumably older and senescent shrimp. Zoeae that were fed Chaetoceros supplemented with CAM Artemia nauplii had significantly greater ( P < 0.001) growth rates than siblings fed only Chaetoceros .
Suspension feeding on Chaetoceros was probably more efficient than raptorial feeding on Artemia nauplii, resulting in greater survival rates. Supplementing a successful microalgal diet with CAM Artemia nauplii allowed greater use of zoeal feeding mechanisms, added an animal nutrient source to the diet, and affected growth rates by increasing the molt increment and decreasing the intermolt period.     

Effects of Rotifer and Artemia Fatty-Acid Enrichment on Survival, Growth and Pigmentation of Summer Flounder Paralichthys dentatus Larvae

Abstract— Enrichment of live food for marine fish larvae with highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA) has been shown to improve survival, growth and stress resistance in many species and to decrease pigmentation abnormalities in flatfish. In order to aid the developing summer flounder industry, we conducted an experiment in which summer flounder larvae were fed diets differing in HUFA composition to determine whether enrichment with a commercially available product would increase survival and growth and reduce the incidence of abnormal pigmentation. We also examined whether growing unenriched rotifers on different species of algae would affect the survival, growth and pigmentation of the flounder larvae to which they were fed. Growth of summer flounder larvae was significantly better when they were fed HUFA-enriched Mtifers and Artemia rather than unenriched and, among the unenriched treatments, was significantly better when the larvae were fed rotifers raised on Isochrysis galbana rather than on Tetraselmis suecica . The percentage of larvae that failed to complete metamorphosis during the experiment was significantly higher in the unenriched treatments than in the enriched treatments. Neither survival nor percentage of individuals with pigmentation abnormalities were significantly different among the treatments.     

Lipid Nutrition and Feeding of Cobia Rachycentron canadum Larvae

This study examined the fatty acid composition of cobia Rachycentron canadum eggs and yolksac larvae, as well as the ovaries of wild caught females as an initial guide to lipid nutritional requirements. A 2-wk feeding study also was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of four dietary treatments on the growth and survival of cobia larvae. Cobia eggs in the tailbud stage contained 31.4 ± 1.3 μg lipid/egg. After hatching, the amount of lipid decreased significantly (P < 0.05) from 28.3 ± 0.3 to 23.2 ± 0.1 μg lipid/larvae during the yolksac larval stage (days 1 to 3 after hatching). Ovaries from wild caught adults and captive spawned eggs and yolksac larvae contained high levels of PUFAs with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and arachidonic acid (ARA) accounting for approximately 80% of the total suggesting that cobia larvae may have a high dietary requirement for these fatty acids. For the feeding study, larvae were fed: 1) Artemia only; 2) enriched rotifers for 1 d only + microparticulate diet (day 313); 3) enriched rotifers for 3 d (day 3–5) + Artemia (day 3–13); and 4) enriched rotifers for 6 d (day 3–8) + Artemia (day 3–13). Cobia larvae began feeding on rotifers 3 d after hatching and on newly hatched Artemia nauplii by the fifth day following the onset of exogenous feeding (day 7). On day 7, no differences in larval growth were found among larvae fed rotifers for 3 versus 6 d, whereas larvae fed only Artemia or rotifers for I d followed by microparticulate diet were significantly smaller (P < 0.05) and did not survive beyond day 9 and 13, respectively. The results of the feeding study indicate that cobia larvae require rotifers for a minimum of 4 d following the onset of exogenous feeding.     

Ingestion of Artemia nauplii by Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis zoea larvae

A series of ingestion trials were conducted to determine the ingestion rate of Artemia nauplii by Eriocheir sinensis zoea larvae with increasing densities of Artemia and with or without rotifers as a co-feed. At each zoeal stage, 10 groups of 10 larvae were reared individually in glass beakers and fed with increasing densities of newly hatched Artemia nauplii (0.5, 2.5, 5, 10 and 20 individual (ind.) mL⁻¹) with or without rotifers (15–25 ind. mL⁻¹) as a co-feed. The average number of ingested Artemia was measured over 24 h. In addition, the average larval development rate (Larval Stage Index, LSI) over a longer period (time needed for the best treatment to reach 100% moult or metamorphosis to the next larval stage) was compared. The results showed that Artemia ingestion rate of E. sinensis larvae increased with increasing prey densities and larval development, and had a significantly negative correlation with rotifer consumption for all zoeal stages. Rotifers as an alternative prey significantly affected the intake of Artemia at early larval stages (Z1 and Z2) and promoted LSI at a lower Artemia density. Further experiments are needed to clarify the effect of prey density on survival and larval development when larvae are reared communally.     

Nutritional Factors Affecting Stress Resistance in the Larval Mahimahi Coryphaena hippurus

Recent improvements in enriching Artemia make mahimahi culture possible without using copepods. Mahimahi survive better when cultured copepods Euterpina acutifrons are used, especially when the larvae are under stresses such as high stocking density, cold weather, or the rigors of metamorphosis. This study looked at some differences between copepods and enriched Artemia .This study tested stress resistance by holding postlarval (PL) mahimahi out of water in a hand net for varying periods of time. Recovery from this stress shock was higher in PLs whose diet was higher in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). DHA appeared to play an important role in stress resistance. High eicosapentaenoate (EPA) or high HUFA did not confer stress resistance when DHA levels were low. Copepods contained higher levels of many essential amino acids in addition to higher levels of DHA compared with enriched brine shrimp.
Larvae sickened by disease appeared to lose fat, including DHA, but they conserved DHA relative to other fatty acids. Even when sick, mahimahi larvae fed a copepod diet resisted stress better than larvae fed an enriched brine shrimp diet.
Optimal Artemia enrichment levels of DHA for mahimahi have not been reached and this may explain why it has been difficult for others to raise this fish consistently.
E. acutifrons is relatively easy to culture, but may not be practical for commercial hatcheries, due to low yield (less than 10 g per 100 L per week).     

INTERNATIONAL STUDY ON Artemia:1 XXI. INVESTIGATIONS INTO WHY SOME STRAINS OF Artemia ARE BETTER FOOD SOURCES THAN OTHERS. FURTHER NUTRITIONAL WORK WITH LARVAE OF THE MUD CRAB,Rhithropanopeus harrisii

In a series of studies conducted by members of the International Study on Artemia, differences in nutritional quality were documented between geographical strains of the brine shrimp Artemia. Concomitant with, and possibly related to nutritional effectiveness are differences in biometric traits and biochemical composition. Since these initial experiments could only hint at causal relationships, a series of experiments were carried out to further our understanding of cause and effect. In one experiment we tried to ascertain whether the factors responsible for poor survival in larvae fed some brine shrimp strains are cumulative throughout larval development or whether there are critical periods when larvae are more sensitive. Our results indicate that the factors contributing to poor growth and survival are cumulative. In a second experiment, we contaminated Brazil Artemia with diel-drin, chlordane and combinations of the two and fed them to mud crab (Rhithropanopeus harrisii) larvae. The levels of contamination were chosen to approximate those suspected of contributing to the poor food value of some brine shrimp strains. In this experiment, however, diel-drin and chlordane contamination appeared to have no effect on growth and survival of R. harrisii larvae. In a third experiment, we fed Utah strain Artemia on Isochrysis galbana for 24 hours and then fed these brine shrimp to mud crab zoeae. Previous work had shown that this regime made Utah Artemia more suitable as a food source for a prawn. However, in our experiments, it did not improve survival of R. harrisii.     

Does Morning as Opposed to Night‐time Feeding Affect Growth in Juvenile Spiny Lobsters,Jasus edwardsh?

Previous research on juvenile lobsters has shown that they display a nocturnal rhythm in their oxygen consumption and ammonia excretion, such that lobsters that are fed in the morning have shorter specific dynamic action (SDA) response than those lobsters that are fed at night. It was therefore suggested that juvenile lobsters should be fed in the morning to maximize energy utilization. This research tested the hypothesis that the growth of juvenile rock lobsters would be improved by feeding in the morning rather at night. Juvenile spiny lobsters Jasus edwardsii were fed a squid meal (5% body weight) either in the morning or at night over a period of 80 d. Lobsters fed in the morning had a 108% weight gain, an increase of 4.6 mm in carapace length and a growth rate (SGR) of 0.92%. These were significantly higher than the 78% weight gain, carapace length increase of 3.8 mm, and growth rate of 0.76% recorded for lobsters fed at night. Abdomen muscle protein and mid-gut gland lipid and glycogen content were similar after 80 d. The digestive gland index (DGI) was the same in lobsters exposed to the different feeding regime but had decreased compared with control lobsters at the start of the experiment. Morning-fed lobsters outperformed night-fed lobsters in all aspects of growth and survival, and it is suggested that commercial farmers feed their lobsters in the morning rather than at night. Because these growth differences were predicted from specific dynamic action measurements, it is concluded here that this technique would be useful for the rapid evaluation of the effectiveness of natural and artificial diets on lobster growth.     

The effect of vitamins C and E in (n-3) highly unsaturated fatty acids-enriched Artemia nauplii on growth, survival, and stress resistance of fresh water walleye Stizostedion vitreum larvae

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of enriching Artemia nauplii with vitamin C (ascorbyl-6 palmitate) or vitamin E (α-tocopherol acetate), 20% w/w, together with a mixture of concentrated eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5 n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6 n-3) on the growth, survival, and stress resistance of fresh water walleye Stizostedion vitreum larvae. Either cod liver oil (CLO) or EPA/DHA ethyl esters concentrate was used as lipid sources in the Artemia enrichment. Walleye larvae were fed ad libitum for 40 days. At day 40, submersion in salt water (25 g L⁻¹) was performed to evaluate larvae resistance to stress. EPA and DHA levels in walleye juveniles fed EPA/DHA-enriched Artemia increased significantly, by an average of 650% compared with fish fed non-enriched Artemia . A significant increase was found for vitamins C (71.8 ± 1.0 and 42.7 ± 1.2 μg g⁻¹ wet weight (WW)) and E (17.0 ± 3.7 and 6.5 ± 0.9 μg g⁻¹WW) concentrations in fish fed enriched and unenriched Artemia , respectively. Growth was comparable throughout treatments, whereas survival was significantly higher in fish fed CLO-enriched Artemia nauplii compared with fish fed Artemia nauplii enriched with EPA/DHA concentrate. The addition of vitamin C increased fish survival by 1.4-fold compared with fish fed Artemia enriched with only EPA/DHA concentrate. The survival of the latter was similar to control fish ( Artemia without enrichment). The supplementation of vitamin E did not affect fish survival significantly. Stress tests revealed that the resistance of walleye larvae to salinity changes increased when Artemia enrichment was supplemented with vitamin C. However, walleye larvae fed CLO-enriched Artemia had the best performances in the stress test.     

Effect of vitamin E and highly unsaturated fatty acid-enriched Artemia urmiana on growth performance, survival and stress resistance of Beluga (Huso huso) larvae

A 44-day rearing trial was conducted to examine the enrichment of Artemia urmiana nauplii with vitamin E and highly unsaturated fatty acid (HUFA) and its effects on the growth performance, survival and stress resistance of great sturgeon, Huso huso , larvae. Cod liver oil (EPA 18% and DHA 12%) and α-tocopherol acetate were used as lipid and vitamin E sources. Beluga larvae at the first exogenous feeding with 69±5.9 mg body weight were randomly distributed into four treatments and three tanks were assigned to each diet. The test treatments were as follows: larvae fed with HUFA+20% and HUFA+50% (w/w) vitamin E-enriched Artemia nauplii (E1 and E2 groups, respectively), HUFA without vitamin E (HUFA group) and non-enriched Artemia (control group). All treatments fed non-enriched Artemia for the initial 5 days after first feeding and then fed enriched Artemia for 7 days. After the period of enrichment, larvae were fed with daphnia from the 13th to the 40th day. At day 40, submersion in salt water (6 ppt for 4 days and 12 ppt for 2 days) and warm water (33 °C for 2 days) was performed to evaluate larvae resistance to salinity and temperature stress. Final weight, daily growth rate, specific growth rate and weight gain were higher in beluga fed with enriched Artemia . The highest growth rates were observed in E1, whereas survival was not significantly different between groups. Use of vitamin E and HUFA significantly increased fish resistance to a salinity of 12 ppt and the lowest stress resistance was observed in the control group. Stress tolerance was not significantly different at 6 ppt and 33 °C between groups. There was no comparable difference in the haematocrit index under stress conditions. These results indicated that the enrichment of Artemia with essential fatty acids and vitamin E can affect some growth and stress tolerance factors in great sturgeon, Huso huso , larvae.     

Growth and kinetics of lipids and fatty acids of the clam Venerupis pullastra during larval development and postlarvae

This study examines the larval development, metamorphosis and postlarval stage of Venerupis pullastra in relation to growth, lipids content and fatty acid composition, specifically those believed to be essential for most bivalves (i.e. 20:5n‐3 and 22:6n‐3). Clam larvae were fed with two species of microalgae supplied individually or mixed –Isochrysis galbana and Tetraselmis suecica–species normally used in bivalve hatcheries. Larvae fed with T. suecica showed a progressive accumulation of lipids and fatty acids but did not survive to metamorphosis. Contrarily, larvae fed with I. galbana or mixed diet showed a progressive decline in lipids and essential fatty acids (20:5n‐3 and 22:6n‐3) from the pediveliger stage onwards, and a survival rate of 95% until the start of metamorphosis. The lower content in n‐6 and the absence of 22:6n‐3 in T. suecica diet might contribute to the massive mortality observed for larvae fed with this diet. That diet seems to fail in the supply of some particular nutrient that allows energetic transformation of reserves for growth and metamorphosis. Nevertheless, larvae fed on mixture diet showed higher weight growth values at postlarval stage than those larvae fed on I. galbana diet.     

The potential of dried, low-hatch, decapsulated Artemia cysts for feeding prawn post-larvae

Low-hatch, decapsulated Artemia cysts were assessed as feed for Penaeus indicus post-larvae (PL) 1–15 days old and the problems resulting from the incorporation of decapsulated cysts into compounded feeds were evaluated. Growth and survival of PL fed on decapsulated cysts (AC) were comparable with Artemia nauplii fed PL (control) and significantly (p < 0.05) higher than observed amongst PL fed on two granulated commercial diets (G150 and G300) or a commercial flake feed (AC-F) incorporating decapsulated cysts (80%). PL fed on artificial diets showed poor growth and delay in metamorphosis. However, survival of PL fed on AC-F was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that observed amongst granulated feeds. Decapsulated cysts processed into a granulated feed (AC-G) or dried at 90°C (AC-90) also resulted in slow growth and survival when fed to PL. Overall, artificial feeds showed poor water stability and significantly higher leaching of soluble protein and carbohydrates than decapsulated cysts. AC-90 cysts also showed a high level of bursting and leaching of material. This indicates that low-hatch Artemia cysts retain a living membrane after commercial decapsulation and drying prevents loss of highly digestible nutrients, which allows PL growth equal to that on PL fed live Artemia nauplii. Survival of PL was negatively correlated with leaching of soluble protein (p < 0.05), but no correlation was observed for leaching of carbohydrates or between growth and loss of both soluble nutrients. Hence, availability of digestible protein is critical and may influence survival of early stages of post-larval development. Water stability of artificial feeds is an essential factor in promoting efficient nutrition of PL, but other aspects related to heating during processing of feeds also appear to have a deleterious effect on nutritional quality of compounded feeds. Commercially dried, encapsulated Artemia cysts from low-hatch strains remain alive and are highly nutritious for feeding early stages of post-larval prawn but even after death may support acceptable survival when incorporated into a flake diet. © Rapid Science Ltd. 1998     

Effects of Artemia enriched with eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid on survival and occurrence of molting failure in megalop larvae of the mud crab Scylla serrata

ABSTRACT:   The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3, EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3, DHA) on the survival and the occurrence of molting failure to megalops of mud crab Scylla serrata larvae fed enriched Artemia . Survival rate, intermolt period, carapace width at the first crab stage, ratio of chela to carapace length at the fifth zoeal stage and the occurrence of molting failure to megalops were observed. Mud crab larvae were reared in 1-L plastic beakers and fed with Artemia enriched at five different levels of EPA (0.31% to 1.36% EPA; referred to as E25, E50, E75 and E100) or four different levels of DHA (0.75–0.95% EPA and 0.49–1.38% DHA; referred to as D25, D50, D75 and D100). As a negative control, larvae were fed Artemia enriched with oleic acid (OA). Mud crab larvae fed Artemia containing low (0.41–0.45% EPA and trace DHA) or high (1.36% and 0.95% EPA and 0.16% and 1.38% DHA) amounts of EPA and DHA showed a significantly lower survival rate and prolonged intermolt period ( P  < 0.05). Moreover, a high frequency of molting failure to the megalops stage (34 and 33%) occurs coincident with a high chela to carapace length ratio (43 and 44%) in mud crab larvae fed high amounts of EPA and DHA (E100 and D100), suggesting that both of these treatments contain EPA and DHA in excess. These results indicate that during Artemia feeding, EPA and DHA content should be adjusted to 0.71–0.87% and 0.49–0.72% for maintaining a high survival, accelerating the intermolt period, and producing larger carapace width in the first crab stage.     

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.     

A successful microbound diet for the larval culture of freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii

A high moisture (63–71%), semi-purified microbound diet containing alginate was compared to newly hatched live Artemia nauplii as an exclusive diet for the culture of larval freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii from 5th stage (weighted mean) through metamorphosis to postlarva. Two separate trials, representing larvae from different hatches, were conducted. Larvae were stocked at 50/l into cone-shaped vessels that contained 2 l of 12‰ seawater and were part of a temperature-controlled (28 °C) recirculating culture system. Larvae were manually fed either the live Artemia diet or the microbound diet exclusively, several times daily. After 14 days (23 days post-hatch (dph)), growth of larvae fed the microbound diet was 90% of that achieved for larvae fed newly hatched nauplii of Artemia. Survival of larvae fed the microbound diet was 77.3% and 73.3%, and was not significantly different from that of Artemia-fed larvae. Composed of readily available ingredients, the diet contains 46.2% crude protein and 37.4% lipid, is easy to prepare, and has good water stability. The diet is an economically practical alternative to the fluctuating cost, nutrient uncertainty, and labor associated with the use of Artemia nauplii hatched from cysts. The characteristics of the diet suggest good potential for successful use in the larviculture of other fish and crustacean species, in either the existing or a modified state.