Use of Brachionus plicatilis (müller, 1786) in the feeding of larvae of the shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone, 1931)

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of substitution of Artemia sp. for rotifer Brachionus plicatilis feed marine shrimp post-larvae of Litopenaeus vannamei in laboratory. The experiment was randomized block, tested four diets with three replicates per treatment. The following treatments were: T1-100% B. plicatilis (30 rotifers.mL- ¹), T2 - 100% inert diet (30% biomass), T3 - 50% of Artemia sp. (5 nauplii.mL- ¹) + 50% B. plicatilis (30 rotifers.mL- ¹) and T4 - 50% of Artemia sp. (5 nauplii.mL- ¹) + 50% inert diet (30% biomass). The results showed no significant difference between T2 and T3. However the T4 treatment was better than the previous ones. Total replacement for rotifers resulted in a mortality of 68.5% of larvae stocked, but the partial use of 50% of Artemia sp. + 50% inert diet was acceptable, not showing then, significant losses in terms of survival and weight of post-larvae.