Effect of delayed feeding of Artemia salina and partial replacement by Moina macrocopa on growth and survival of sea bass, Lates calcarifer (Bloch), larvae.

Abstract

One-day old sea bass larvae (0.93-2.03 mm total length, 0.94-1.00 mg wet body weight) were stocked at a density of 30 larvae per liter in nine 250 l capacity fiberglass tanks. Fish were reared for 26 days on three different feeding regimes using Brachionus plicatiilis, Artemia salina and Moina macrocopa as live foods. Delaying feeding of Artemia nauplii until day 15 resulted in slower larvae growth rates compared with fish fed Artemia starting on day 10. Partial replacement of Artemia nauplii by Moina starting on day 17 showed a marked increase in larval growth over the delayed Artemia treatment. Percent survival of larvae amongst all three treatments did not vary significantly.