Algal Paste to improve tank fed fish larvae

Here’s a company in Canada who culture an Algal Paste which can be used for improving the development of early stage larval marine fish being cultivated in tanks;

http://www.innovativeaqua.com/

Greenwater Formula

Green water formula, Nannochloropsis oculata (2µ), is used in the culture of early stage larval marine fish. Our Green water formula is designed to create diffuse light conditions for the first feeding of larval marine fish. Not only does it help to initiate first-feeding, it has acted to promote schooling activity and alleviate the problems associated with “nose-banging”. Its’ great fatty acid profile also means quality food available to rotifers in the tank. Cell densities are approximately 30 billion cells per ml. of paste.

This Algae’s positive uses are supported in the following report -

Green water: Optical rather than nutritional effect. pp. 266-269.

Marliave, J.B. 1994.
1994 AZA Conference Proceedings, Atlanta, GA

Where the author finds, “the halibut larvae in clear water concentrated at the water surface and near the tank walls, whereas in green water the larvae spent most of the time in the water column, searching for prey.”

and, “In clear water, larval hexagrammids tended to swim cross-current into tank walls, and showed poor survival rates. The use of algae paste to reduce visibility resulted in slower swimming, active feeding and formation of schools, with higher survival rates”

Given the need to find alternative sources of food and better methods of cultivation I found this innovation quite interesting.

Sean

 

Tags: algae, algal feed, development, feed, greenwater, nose banging
Posted in Hatchery R&D, Innovation, Juveniles. Permalink for this post: permalink. If you are a Digg user, please  Digg this post. If you use use Del.icio.us, then add us in:  Del.icio.us

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