Comparative study on growth and survival of larval and juvenile Dicentrarchus labrax rearing on rotifer and Artemia enriched with four different microalgae species

Abstract

In the present study, two experiments were carried out, the first one at age from 4th to 24th days post hatching (dph) which include Dicentrarchus labrax larvae rearing on rotifer and Artemia enriched with four types of algae as follows: Chlorella salina, Dunaleilla salina, Nannochloropsis salina and Tetraselmis chuii (ch1, D1, N1 and T1). At the end of the experiment, mean body length of 5.4, 11.9, 11.0 and 10.01 mm and a survival rate of 79.4, 73.8, 63.5 and 30.0% were achieved. Larvae fed with algae cultured in basal medium of chcont, Dcont, Ncont and Tcont reached 9.1, 9.5, 8.0 and 8.0 mm with survival rate of 31.7, 40.4, 30.5 and 22.4% by 25 (dph), respectively. In the second trial, juvenile D. labrax (25 - 60 dph) fed with Artemia metanauplii, enriched by ch1 (the best result recommended from 1st experiment) increased their mean total length to 35.5±1.4 mm at age 60 dph. The total carbohydrate and total protein in the algae species used to enrich rotifer and Artemia significantly increased for ch1, D1, N1 and T1.
Also total amino acid significantly increased at P < 0.001. The total fatty acid and total unsaturated fatty acid in the algae significantly increased (P < 0.001) for ch1, D1, N1 and T1 taking into consideration that the state of C22:6 significantly increased. The ch1 gave better growth and survival percentage followed by D1 for enrich Brachionus plicatilis and newly hatched Artemia.