EFFECTS OF REPLACEMENT OF LIVE FOOD WITH DRY DIET ON GROWTH AND SURVIVAL RATE FOR SEABREAM (SPARUS AURATA) LARVAE

Abstract

The present study was carried out to study the possibility of early weaning of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) larvae. Therefore seabream larvae divided into different groups and weaned at 35, 40, 45, 50, 55and 60 days post hatching (dph). At the end of the experiment the mean wet weight and length of gilthead seabream were recorded for larvae. Showed that, the late weaning (50, 55 or 60 dph) significantly increased the wet weight and length of larvae compared to larvae groups that early weaned (35 and 40 dph) and the same trend was also observed for larvae after 60 dph. During the entire experimental period the highest SGR values were recorded for groups 60 and 55 dph (3.75 and 3.19), while the lowest SGR recorded for group 35 dph (1.59) indicating that, the late weaning age released the best SGR was compared to the early weaning of gilthead seabream larvae . The obtained results indicated that the late weaning of larvae (60 dph) significantly increased each of protein and fat content of larvae when compared to the early weaning of larvae (35 dph). In conclusion, it can be concluded that, the early weaning could not only improve the growth performance, but also keep the survival rate within the same limits for the original late weaning age.