Title : Effects of different food sources on the survival and growth of fairy shrimp Streptocephalus sp.
Abstract :The present study was conducted to determine the most suitable food produce high biomass production of fairy shrimp (Streptocephalus sp.). Newly hatched fairy shrimp nauplii were reared in 50-L tanks at an initial density of 60 ind./L. Four different feeds were used: baker's yeast; rice bran; soybean meal; commercial fish feed No. 0 (40% protein). The results on day 28 indicated that survival rates ranged from 36.9 to 65.8% and individual lengths ranged from 11.2 to 12.1 mm, with fairy shrimp that were fed with fish feed and rice bran having the highest survival rates of 66 and 56%, respectively, while the lowest rates were observed for those fed with baker's yeast and soybean meal (37%, respectively). The maximum final length of fairy shrimp fed with rice bran was 12.1 mm, which is greater than that of shrimp consuming the other feed. The highest biomass production was obtained (0,3 g/L) in the culture where rice bran and commercial feed.