Evaluation of the fatty acid profiles of two fairy shrimp species, Branchipus pasai Cottarelli, 1969 and Chirocephalus kerkyrensis Pesta, 1936 (Crustacea, Anostraca) fed different diets

Laboratory cultured fairy shrimps Branchipus pasai and Chirocephalus kerkyrensis, fed on an alga (Selenastrum capricornutum), a yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and an HUFA enriched yeast (Lansy PZ, produced by Artemia Systems, Gent, Belgium) were evaluated for their fatty acid (FA) profiles and total lipid content in order to obtain information on species differences in food conversion. The results indicate significant qualitative and quantitative differences (P < 0.001) in FA profiles both of feed and of fairy shrimp species. Among the three different diets, an appreciable lipid amount was recorded in the alga, as compared with baker‘s yeast which showed the poorest lipid content. The algal fatty acid profile showed adequate amounts of the EFA 18:2n6, 18:3n3 and20:5n3 (the most meaningful for aquacultural purposes). The enriched yeast was characterised by a considerable total lipid amount and by the presence of all the EFA.