The effects of microalgae as live food for brachionus plicatilis (Rotifer) in intensive culture system

• Published in: Tropical Life Sciences Research
• Main Author: Abd Rahman A.R.; Cob Z.C.; Jamari Z.; Mohamed A.M.; Toda T.; Ross O.H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Penerbit Universiti Sains Malaysia 2018
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85043347907&doi=10.21315%2ftlsr2018.29.1.9&partnerID=40&md5=b8be74281b491e48b05a650e0a69db3e

Brachionus plicatilis is used to feed fish and crustacean larvae in the aquaculture industry. It is well established that the type of microalgae may influence rotifer production. This experiment was conducted to determine the effect of five different locally available microalgae species at Fisheries Research Institute (FRI), Kampung Pulau Sayak, Kedah, Malaysia on the instantaneous growth rate (µ) of rotifer. Nannochloris sp., Tetraselmis sp., Isochrysis sp., Chlorella sp., and Nannochloropsis sp. were used as feed at different algae densities (0.1, 0.3, 0.7 and 1.5 × 106 cells/ml) and culture volumes (20, 70 and 210 ml). At algae densities ranging from 0.3 to 1.5 × 106 cells/ml, an average µ value of more than 0.90 per day were recorded for all algae species. However, at density of 0.1 × 106 cells/ml, only Tetraselmis sp. resulted in the significantly highest µ value compared with others (p < 0.05). In terms of volume, smaller culture volume of Tetraselmis sp. (20 ml) showed significantly higher µ compared with higher volume (70 and 210 ml cultures). © Penerbit Universiti Sains Malaysia, 2018.