Effects of calanoid copepod Schmackeria poplesia as a live food on the growth, survival and fatty acid composition of larvae and juveniles of Japanese flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus

Abstract

Zooplankton constitutes a major part of the diet for fish larvae in the marine food web, and it is generally believed that copepods can meet the nutritional requirements of fish larvae. In this study, calanoid copepod Schmackeria poplesia, rotifer Brachionus plicatilis and anostraca crustacean Artemia sp. were analyzed for fatty acid contents, and were used as live food for culturing larval Japanese flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus. The total content of three types of HUFAs (DHA, EPA and ARA) in S. poplesia was significantly higher than that in the other two live foods (P<0.01). Three live organisms were used for raising larvae and juveniles of Paralichthys olivaceus respectively for 15 and 10 d. Then the growth, survival and fatty acid composition of the larvae and juveniles were investigated. The results showed that the larvae and juveniles fed with copepods (S. poplesia) had significantly higher growth rate than those fed with the other two organisms (P<0.01). The survival of the flounder larvae fed with copepods was significantly higher than that of the others (P<0.01), and the survival of the juvenile fish fed with copepods was higher than that fed with Artemia (P<0.05). The contents of three types of HUFAs (DHA, EPA and ARA) and the ratio of DHA/EPA in larval and juvenile flounder P. olivaceus were analyzed. The results showed that the contents of DHA, EPA and ARA in the larvae and juveniles fed with S. poplesia were higher than those fed with a mixed diet or Artemia only, and the ratio of EPA/ARA in larvae and juveniles of P. olivaceus fed with S. poplesia was lower than that in the case of feeding with a mixed diet or Artemia only. The present data showed that copepod is the best choice for feeding the larvae and juveniles of fish considering its effects on the survival, growth and nutrition composition of the fish.

Copepods enhance nutritional status, growth and development in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhuaL.) larvae — can we identify the underlying factors?

“…The proportion of deformed fish is often higher than when the larvae are fed natural zooplankton that consists mainly of copepods ( Fjelldal et al, 2009 ; Imsland et al, 2006 ). Moreover, the rate of growth of larvae fed rotifers/ Artemia is lower than that of larvae fed copepods ( Busch et al, 2010 ; Busch et al, 2011 ; Evjemo, Reitan & Olsen, 2003 ; Hamre et al, 2013 ; Imsland et al, 2006 ; Koedijk et al, 2010 ; Liu & Xu, 2009 ). Analyses of stomach content from wild caught cod larvae show that an assemblage of various species and stages of copepods are the most important food items for cod larvae in their natural habitat ( Wiborg, 1948 ; Last, 1978 ).…”

Effect of replacing fish meal in the fish diet by zooplankton meal on growth performance of Dicentrarchus labrax (Linnaeus, 1758)

“…The higher level of protein in copepods compared to rotifers could possibly lead to a higher muscular growth, since muscle-growth is a product of protein synthesis (Liu & Xu, 2009). In the present study, the maximum growth performance averages for growth in length, length gain and daily length gain, growth in weight, total weight gains and daily gain and specific growth rate of D. labrax were recorded in G 5 and G 4 ; while the lowest averages were occurred in G 1 and G 2 .…”

Effect of Replacing Fish Meal in Fish Diet with Shrimp by-Product Meal on Growth Performance, Feed Utilization, Length-Weight Relationship and Condition Factors of Nile Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758)

“…These findings are in line with the higher growth performance of sea bream, Sparus aurata fish fry fed copepods Mona et al (2019), as well as the higher growth performance parameters of sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax, fed a diet containing zooplankton meal rather than fish meal (Hassan et al). This improved growth performance might be due to the greater protein levels found in shrimp, copepods, and zooplankton, where muscle growth is a result of protein synthesis (Liu & Xu, 2009).…”