Culture of natural food for farmed freshwater fish and prawn larvae

Abstract

This manual describes the various methods for culturing microalgae and other natural food organisms fed to freshwater fish/prawn larvae that are produced and reared in hatcheries. Hence, it will encourage/ promote the use of natural food organisms be these live and/or processed (concentrated algal pastes), as a means of optimizing larval fish/prawn production. The manual was written purposely for local freshwater fish/prawn hatchery owners/operators and their technicians. The authors prepared the manual for hatchery operators to have a better understanding of how and why there is a need to culture natural food organisms as part of the standard larval rearing protocol and to increase/boost fish and/or prawn seedstock production.