BIOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF FROZEN ZOOPLANKTON AS FOOD FOR MILKFISH (CHANOS-CHANOS) FRY

Milkfish fry with an average standard length and weight of 13.88 mm and 3.95 mg, respectively, were reared for 30 days using live and frozen Moina macrocopa and Brachionus plicatilis at feeding densities of 10-20 individuals per ml. Growth, survival and yield were used as indicators of the overall performances of the various treatment groups. Fry fed live M. macrocopa showed gains (both length and weight), growth and survival rates and yields significantly higher than fry fed with other treatment groups (P < 0.05). However, significant reductions in growth and survival rates resulted when fry were fed frozen M. macrocopa. On the other hand, there were no significant differences in growth and survival rates (P > 0.05) in fry fed live or frozen B. plicatilis. The results of the current study showed that although milkfish fry could be grown successfully using B. plicatilis, feeding with live Moina significantly improved growth, survival rate and yield (P < 0.05). Frozen Moina was found to be unsuitable as a feed for rearing milkfish fry because it reduced growth rates and increased mortality. Comparisons between live and frozen rotifers have proven the suitability of frozen rotifers as feed for rearing milkfish fry. By freezing surplus rotifers this would permit short term storage in anticipation of high hatchery demand and overcome any unpredictable failures with live cultures.