Evaluation of the suitability of microalgal and artificial diets for the mass production of harpacticoid copepod, Euterpina acutifrons (Dana, 1848)

Aneesh, K S and Santhosh, B and Anzeer, F Muhammed and Abraham, Mijo V and Darsana, S and Thomas, Ritty Maria (2025) Evaluation of the suitability of microalgal and artificial diets for the mass production of harpacticoid copepod, Euterpina acutifrons (Dana, 1848). Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India, 67 (2). pp. 12-21. ISSN 2321-7898

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Abstract

One of the major constraints in the marine aquaculture sector is the lack of sufficient fish seeds for farming. Live feeds are the critical factor influencing the health and survival of the finfish larvae. Copepods are nutritionally superior and more easily digestible live feed than the conventionally used Artemia and rotifers. The harpacticoid copepod, Euterpina acutifrons, is a promising species for finfish larviculture due to its hardy nature, adaptability to culture conditions, and small pelagic naupliar stages. This study evaluated the effect of different algal and non-algal diets on the development rate of naupliar and copepodite stages, time taken for maturity, average life span, egg production parameters, hatching success, survival rate of nauplius and copepodite stages, and population composition of E. acutifrons. The algal diets used were Chaetoceros calcitrans (CHA), Chlorella marina (CHL), Pavlova lutheri (PAV), and Isochrysis galbana (ISO), and the inert diets used included rice bran (RBN), groundnut oil cake (GNC), commercial shrimp feed (CSF), and carrot juice (CTJ). The diet CHA+CHL gave maximum copepodite survival (89%), faster naupliar development (2.7 days), faster copepodite development (4.5 days), early maturity (6.7 days), maximum number of egg sac production (7 nos.), better egg production frequency (1.7 days), maximum number of eggs per egg sac (22.5 nos.), maximum number of naupliar production (5368.25) and maximum adult number (479.25) in the culture population. Performance of all non-algal diets except RBN was inferior to that of the algal diets. In conclusion, the microalgal diets, especially those diatom-based ones and their combinations with other microalgae, remain superior for the optimum production of E. acutifrons

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