Growth and Survival of Siamese Fighting Fish, Betta Splendens, Larvae at Low Salinity and With Different Diets

Abstract

We evaluated the survival and growth of 3-d post-hatch Siamese fighting fish, Betta splendens larvae, raised during 15 d in salt-free or salt-added freshwater (5 ppt using common table salt) and fed with a sequence of traditional live diets (Chlorella sp., rotifers, and Artemia) or with one formulated diet complemented with a single or daily additions of Chlorella. The highest survival were those of natural-fed larvae, at 5 and 0 ppt (100 and 96.67 ± 5.77%), and there were no significant differences in final length and weight, although these were more variable in the case of the larvae maintained at 5 ppt. The use of table salt had a negative effect on the trophonts of the external parasitic dinoflagellate Piscinoodinium sp., which colonized the body surface of the larvae raised at 0 ppt and were absent on those kept at 5 ppt.