Effect of feeding Artemia nauplii enriched with different enhancement products on larval performance of golden pompano Trachinotus ovatus (Linnaeus, 1758)

This study evaluated the efficacy of Artemia nauplii enriched with three enhancement products as live feed for golden pompano Trachinotus ovatus larvae. Artemia were separately enriched with Nannochloropsis, Algamac 3080 (R) and Spirulina and unenriched Artemia nauplii served as control feed. Growth and survival of fish larvae were affected significantly (p<0.05) by the enrichment products. Highest specific growth rate was obtained when fish were fed with Artemia nauplii enriched with Algamac 3080 and the lowest growth rate in fish fed with unenriched or spirulina enriched Artemia nauplii. Highest survival was obtained in groups fed with unenriched or Nannochloropsis enriched Artemia nauplii. Feeding with enriched Artemia nauplii also helped to reduce incidence of skeletal malformation during larval phase. Significantly lower (p<0.05) vertebral column malformation was observed when fish were fed with spirulina enriched Artemia nauplii. The highest docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)/eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) ratio in Artemia was obtained when Artemia nauplii were enriched with Algamac 3080 and the lowest in unenriched Artemia nauplii. Results of the study indicated that the enrichment protocols attempted for Artemia nauplii significantly (p<0.05) helped to enhance the growth, survival and quality of golden pompano larvae.