Feeding Larval Gulf Killifish: Total Replacement of Artemia Nauplii and Co‐Feeding from Hatch

Abstract

AbstractLarval Gulf Killifish Fundulus grandis hatching from air‐incubated eggs are precocial, with well‐developed mouths and eyes providing an immediate capacity for exogenous feeding. Live feeds are almost universally used in finfish and crustacean hatcheries, with newly hatched brine shrimp Artemia spp. nauplii being a standard. Across two experiments from hatch in Gulf Killifish, we evaluated the ability to replace Artemia nauplii with prepared diets. Experiment 1 measured growth and survival from hatch through 8 weeks in larval Gulf Killifish fed either Artemia nauplii or one of five commercially available diets. Experiment 2 measured survival and SL of Gulf Killifish larvae at 5, 10, and 15 d posthatch among treatments consisting of animals fed Artemia nauplii, the best‐performing commercial diet from experiment 1, or an experimental microbound diet or “co‐fed” the microbound diet and Artemia. In experiment 1, Gulf Killifish larvae fed live Artemia nauplii exhibited growth that significantly outperformed commercially available formulated diets. Mean ± SE (SEM) survival (%) among treatments ranged from 51.1 ± 7.4 to 86.2 ± 2.1. Larvae fed one commercially prepared diet outperformed larvae fed the other four commercial diets in terms of growth. In experiment 2, mean SL was significantly different among treatments by 15 d posthatch. Mean ± SEM survival (%) across all treatments in experiment 2 ranged from 87.7 ± 0.8 to 99.2 ± 0.4. Results of these experiments are some of the first to document acceptable growth and survival of finfish larvae when Artemia nauplii are completely replaced with formulated diets from hatch. The distinctive larval biology of the study species in concert with the ability to air‐incubate the embryos were presumably important factors in the ability to completely replace Artemia nauplii from hatch.