The Advantages of Inorganic Fertilization for the Mass Production of Copepods as Food for Fish Larvae in Aquaculture
Copepods are commonly used as live feed for cultured fish larvae, but the current mass production method using organic fertilizers cannot meet the market demand for copepods. We evaluated the feasibility of applying an inorganic fertilization method, which is currently in use in freshwater and marin...
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MDPI AG
2022-03-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/12/3/441 |
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| author | Guo-Kai Hong Kwee Siong Tew |
| author_facet | Guo-Kai Hong Kwee Siong Tew |
| author_sort | Guo-Kai Hong |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Copepods are commonly used as live feed for cultured fish larvae, but the current mass production method using organic fertilizers cannot meet the market demand for copepods. We evaluated the feasibility of applying an inorganic fertilization method, which is currently in use in freshwater and marine larviculture, to the mass production of copepods. For 30 days, and with five replicates of each treatment, we made comparative daily measurements of various parameters of (1) copepod cultures fertilized with commercially available condensed fish solubles (organic fertilization) and (2) other cultures in which the concentration of inorganic phosphorus was maintained at 100 μg P L<sup>−1</sup> and that of inorganic nitrogen at 700 μg N L<sup>−1</sup> (inorganic fertilization). With inorganic fertilization, pH fluctuated over a smaller range and much less filamentous algae grew in the tanks. The mean production of copepod nauplii over the course of the study was similar between the two treatments, but the combined density of copepodites and adult copepods was significantly higher with inorganic fertilization. Compared to commercial zooplankton products, copepods cultured with inorganic fertilization were smaller, were mixed with fewer (almost none) non-copepod contaminants, were also pathogen-free, and could be produced at the cheapest cost per unit output. Based on these results, we conclude that the inorganic fertilization method can profitably be adopted by commercial copepod producers to meet the demand from fish farmers, especially for small-sized copepods. |
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| issn | 2075-1729 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:33:56Z |
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| spelling | doaj.art-fe9c494eacad4e6e85c60563df4ec6c42023-11-30T21:14:45ZengMDPI AGLife2075-17292022-03-0112344110.3390/life12030441The Advantages of Inorganic Fertilization for the Mass Production of Copepods as Food for Fish Larvae in AquacultureGuo-Kai Hong0Kwee Siong Tew1Graduate Institute of Marine Biology, National Dong Hwa University, Pingtung 944, TaiwanGraduate Institute of Marine Biology, National Dong Hwa University, Pingtung 944, TaiwanCopepods are commonly used as live feed for cultured fish larvae, but the current mass production method using organic fertilizers cannot meet the market demand for copepods. We evaluated the feasibility of applying an inorganic fertilization method, which is currently in use in freshwater and marine larviculture, to the mass production of copepods. For 30 days, and with five replicates of each treatment, we made comparative daily measurements of various parameters of (1) copepod cultures fertilized with commercially available condensed fish solubles (organic fertilization) and (2) other cultures in which the concentration of inorganic phosphorus was maintained at 100 μg P L<sup>−1</sup> and that of inorganic nitrogen at 700 μg N L<sup>−1</sup> (inorganic fertilization). With inorganic fertilization, pH fluctuated over a smaller range and much less filamentous algae grew in the tanks. The mean production of copepod nauplii over the course of the study was similar between the two treatments, but the combined density of copepodites and adult copepods was significantly higher with inorganic fertilization. Compared to commercial zooplankton products, copepods cultured with inorganic fertilization were smaller, were mixed with fewer (almost none) non-copepod contaminants, were also pathogen-free, and could be produced at the cheapest cost per unit output. Based on these results, we conclude that the inorganic fertilization method can profitably be adopted by commercial copepod producers to meet the demand from fish farmers, especially for small-sized copepods.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/12/3/441copepodfertilization methodaquaculture<i>Pseudodiaptomus annandalei</i>feed for larviculturepathogens |
| spellingShingle | Guo-Kai Hong Kwee Siong Tew The Advantages of Inorganic Fertilization for the Mass Production of Copepods as Food for Fish Larvae in Aquaculture Life copepod fertilization method aquaculture <i>Pseudodiaptomus annandalei</i> feed for larviculture pathogens |
| title | The Advantages of Inorganic Fertilization for the Mass Production of Copepods as Food for Fish Larvae in Aquaculture |
| title_full | The Advantages of Inorganic Fertilization for the Mass Production of Copepods as Food for Fish Larvae in Aquaculture |
| title_fullStr | The Advantages of Inorganic Fertilization for the Mass Production of Copepods as Food for Fish Larvae in Aquaculture |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Advantages of Inorganic Fertilization for the Mass Production of Copepods as Food for Fish Larvae in Aquaculture |
| title_short | The Advantages of Inorganic Fertilization for the Mass Production of Copepods as Food for Fish Larvae in Aquaculture |
| title_sort | advantages of inorganic fertilization for the mass production of copepods as food for fish larvae in aquaculture |
| topic | copepod fertilization method aquaculture <i>Pseudodiaptomus annandalei</i> feed for larviculture pathogens |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/12/3/441 |
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