Adaptation of carp ( Cyprinus carpio) larvae to artificial diets : 1. Optimum feeding rate and adaptation age for a commercial diet

Abstract

Over a period of 18 days after hatching, seven batches of carp larvae and post-larvae weighing between 2.5 and 35.0 mg were transferred directly from a diet of Artemia nauplii to a commercial trout fry diet and their growth and mortality followed. It was concluded that carp larvae and post-larvae with an initial body weight of 9.5 mg and above exhibit an improved ability to utilise and survive upon an artificial diet, compared with larvae of a lower initial body weight. On the basis of this finding, two age/weight classes of carp post-larvae and fry initially weighing approximately 15 and 100 mg respectively were offered graded quantities of a commercial trout fry diet in amounts ranging from 2.5–30% of their body weight per day, and growth followed for a period of 12 days. Optimal growth and food conversion occurred for feeding rates of between 15 and 17.5% of body weight per day for the first weight class of post-larvae, reducing to between 10 and 15% of body weight per day for the second weight class of fry. The potential significance of these results in relation to commercial production of carp larvae is discussed.