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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stuttgart, Arkansas » Harry K. Dupree Stuttgart National Aquaculture Research Cntr » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #189929
Title: Small-scale system for the mass production of rotifers using algal paste

Author
item Pfeiffer, Tim
item Ludwig, Gerald

Submitted to: North American Journal of Aquaculture
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/2/2006
Publication Date: 7/1/2007
Citation: Pfeiffer, T.J., Ludwig, G.M. 2007. Small-scale system for the mass production of rotifers using algal paste. North American Journal of Aquaculture. 69(3):239-243.

Interpretive Summary: Rotifers are a dominant zooplankton that are a preferred prey for some larval fish and used by culturists during larval fish culture. The rotifer used for mass culture is a brackish water species and can tolerate a wide variety of environmental conditions. Although the culture of this rotifer has been well-documented, little information is available regarding the use of commercially available concentrated algal paste for the mass production of brackish water rotifers. The rotifers were cultured in four translucent polyethylene tanks with a culture volume of 45-L artificial seawater. The feed solution was a mixture of commercially available algal paste and artificial seawater. During a 21-d culture period, the rotifer population in each of four tanks was maintained between 500 and 1,500 rotifers/mL. A volume of 15-L was harvested when the rotifer count was equal to or greater than 1500 rotifers/mL. Results indicated the simple and inexpensive method of using a concentrated algal paste as a food source is suitable for the production of rotifers.

Technical Abstract: Rotifers are a dominant zooplankton that are a preferred prey for larval fish and used quite often by culturists during larval fish culture. The rotifer, Brachionus plicatilis, is a brackish water species and well suited for mass culture because it is prolific and can tolerate a wide variety of environmental conditions. Although the growth and yield of this rotifer species has been well-documented, there is little information available regarding the use of concentrated microalgae paste for the mass production of Brachionus plicatilis. Thus, the use of microalgae paste for rotifer growth and production was investigated. Rotifers were cultured in four translucent low-density polyethylene tanks with a culture volume of 45 liters artificial seawater. The feed solution was a mixture of commercially available Nannochloropsis algal paste and artificial seawater. During a 21-day culture period, the rotifer population in each of four tanks was maintained between 500 and 1500 rotifers per mL. A volume of 15 liters was harvested when the population was within ten percent of exceeding 1500 rotifers per mL. Results indicated the simple and inexpensive method of using a concentrated algal paste as a food source is suitable for the mass production of rotifers in commercial fish hatcheries.