'Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi'
Abstract
Live food organisms include all plants (phytoplankton) and animals (zooplankton)
which are used in finfish and shellfish larval rearing system. Live foods are able to swim
in water column and are available to fish and shellfish larvae thereby stimulate the
feeding response (David 2003). In nature, most of the finfish and shellfish larvae feed on
small phytoplanktonic and zooplanktonic organisms. Phytoplankton comprises the base
of the food chain in the marine environment. Micro algae have an important role in
aquaculture as a means of enriching zooplankton for feeding fish and other larvae. In
addition to providing protein (essential amino acids) and energy, they provide other key
nutrients such as vitamins, essential poly unsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), pigments and
sterols, which are transferred through food chain. Zooplankton forms the primary food
for fish larvae. The dominant zooplankton groups are rotifers and copepods. These
groups are the preferred prey for shrimp and fish larvae and are the most widely used live
feeds by aquaculturists. The intensive larval culture of most marine fish depends on large
supply of zooplankton
