Evaluation of suitability of wastewater grown microalgae (Picochlorum maculatum) and copepod (Oithona rigida) as live feed for white leg shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei post larvae
The present work deals with the growth efficiency of Picochlorum maculatum and Oithona rigida in shrimp cultured wastewater. In addition, the effects of wastewater (WW) cultured P. maculatum and O. rigida on the growth and survival of Litopenaeus vannamei post larvae (PLs) was studied and the results were compared with artificial culture media (ACM) cultured P. maculatum and natural seawater (NSW) cultured O. rigida. The results revealed that the high density obtained in microalgae and low in copepod using wastewater as a medium. Further, shrimp PLs fed with WW cultured microalgae, and NSW cultured copepod had specific growth rate and higher survival, but it was not significantly different (p 0.05) from PL fed on ACM cultured microalgae and WW cultured copepod, indicate that P. maculatum has potential to be used as live feed for the hatchery rearing of L. vannamei PLs, in replacing microdiet. Further study is needed on optimization of wastewater cultured copepod as a live feed to yield maximum growth and survival.
Aquaculture International