Relative efficiencies of Artemia nauplii, Dry food and mixed food diets in i̇ntensive rearing of larval crucian carp (Carassius carassius l.) introduction crucian carp carassius carassius (L.)

Abstract

Effective and safe rearing of larvae of endangered fishes can be facilitated by using dry food diets being suitable for intensive culture. Accordingly, we tested the efficiency of some feeding protocols containing significantly decreased portion of live food or no life food at all in intensive rearing of crucian carp larvae Carassius carassius (L.) under controlled conditions. Based on 7 days long preliminary experiments, SDS 100 and Classic C22 were selected over Sera micron and Nutra HP 0.3 as potential components of a dry food diet. In accordance with other studies, it was found that neither of the pure dry food and mixed food diets tested proved to be as effective as the Artemia nauplii during the first 21 days of the exogenous feeding. Although, the survival rate of larvae could be maintained at high level in some of the protocols tested, a strong decrease in the growth rate was obvious in all diets containing dry food. It was concluded that crucian carp larvae adapt poorly to commercial dry foods, and thus if large larvae of good fitness are needed (i.e. for stockings to natural habitats) then they should be reared on live food diet. © Published by Central Fisheries Research Institute (CFRI) Trabzon, Turkey.