New aspects of the use of inert diets for high density culturing of brine shrimp

Abstract

Brine shrimp being non-selective filter-feeders, cheap agricultural waste products should be evaluated as potential food sources for their controlled mass culturing. Preliminary results of screening tests performed with wheat bran, soybean meal , rice bran and whey powder in culturing systems of various size are reported. Wheat bran appears to be unsuitable as monodiet for brine shrimp. The other products tested support good growth although specific precautions have to be taken with some foods to avoid problems of water quality during culturing. Processing techniques for the manual or mechanical preparation of inert feeds for Artemia are indicated. The possibility of influencing the fatty acid pattern of cultured brine shrimp by varying their diet is briefly outlined