WELCOME

ZOOPLANKTON CULTURE FOR

MARINE FISH HATCHERIES

Muhammed Anzeer, F.Vizhinjam Research Centre of Central Marine Fisheries Research

Institute (CMFRI), Vizhinjam, Thiruvananthapuram, 695 521, Kerala,

India

INTRODUCTION

Advancements in capture fisheries - overexploitation of

natural fish stock

Aquaculture - meeting fish demand and also as a mean of

natural stock replenishment

Constrain- Development of complete larval feed

LIVE FEEDS are the nature’s choice.

Artificial feed can replace the live feed only to certain extent

for growth and survival but live feed always ensure complete

nourishment.

Size

Nutritional value

Ease of production and

Preference of larvae

Criteria for selection of live feed organisms

Important organisms

Copepods

Cladocerans

Decapod larvae

Rotifers and

Ciliates

POPULAR ORGANISMS

Rotifers

Artemia and

Copepods

Phylum – Rotifera

Small (0.1- 0.5mm)

Filter feeders

High reproduction rate (sexual and asexual methods)

Common Sp. Used - Brachionus plicatilis (200-360μ)

B. rotundiformis (150-220μ)

Can attain density up to 2000- 10000 animals/ml.

Both marine and freshwater forms are there

ROTIFERS

LIFE CYCLE

Temperature: 30°C

pH: 7.2-9

Feed: Nannochloropsis sp. (algae)

Feeding Rate: 15 ml of Nanno/10

million/day 

Feeding Times/Day: Continuous, or every 3

hours 

CULTURE CONDITIONS

World’s most popular and widely used live feed

Ability to make dormant eggs called cysts

The artemia cysts can be stored in dry condition

for a longer period

200 tonnes of artemia cyst is marketed annually.

ARTEMIA NAUPLII

Good quality water

Clean hatching

equipments

pH: 8.5

Illumination: constant

bright light

Temperature: 24-28°

REQUIREMENTS FOR CYST HATCHING

Aeration: needed to keep cysts

circulating.

Salinity: to be approximately 24-

28ppt.

Density of cysts should not exceed 10

grams / liter.

Incubation Time: approximately 24

hours.

Tiny planktonic crustaceans

More than 10000 species known

Adapted to fluctuating environment and found in all natural water

bodies-“Insects of the sea”

Good source of :

Proteins, Amino acids, Lipids, Fatty acids Vitamins and minerals

COPEPODS

Copepod nauplii are successfully used as first

feed for fish larvae in cases where rotifers were

inadequate in their nutritional value. Copepods

contain the essential unsaturated fatty acids

(HUFA) which makes them more appropriate

food for fish and fish larvae.

Most of the early fish larvae are evolutionarily

adapted for feeding on copepods than on other

animals.

CultureBatch culture and Continuous culture

Reproduction

sexual, sexes are separate.

Most of them have typical life cycle involving six naupliar stages

and five copepodite stages.

Salinity : 30 ± 2

Temperature : 27 C- 30 C ⁰ ⁰Light : natural day with 80% reduction and 12 hr light-12 hr dark

combination are ideal

Feeding: a combination of Isochrysis galbana

and Nannochloropsis oculata

Cleaning of tanks : daily removal of

accumulated debris and waste food

MICRO ALGAL CULTURE

Dominant

Hardy

Nutritionally efficient

THANKS

Presented on 29th September 2015 in the national seminar organized by the zoology department of st. Thomas college, Kozhenchery, Pathanamthitta, Kerala, India