The significance of detritus in the nutrition of aquatic animals, especially of the small representatives of the zooplankton, has been studied very slightly. Research so far has established that in M. rectirostris with feeding on protococcal and single-celled green algae and bacteria the beginning of formation of eggs takes place in 2 - 4 days. The young appear in 4 - 6 days. In this study M. rectirostris and C. quadrangula are fed on detritus of natural origin in laboratory conditions. In order to determine the assimilability and productive: effect of detritus, the author set up experiments, permitting to characterize the rate of growth, speed of maturing and fertility of M. rectirostris and C. quadrangula with feeding of them on detritus of different composition and age

Esipova, M.A.

English

Aquatic Commons

F.B.A. Transl.(N.S.) No. 53 
JEMH 
Growth and r ep roduc t ion of Moina r e c t i r o s t r i s 
(Leydig) and Ceriodaphnia quadrangula (O.F. M u l l e r ) 
w i th feeding on d e t r i t u s . 
ESIPOVA, M.A. (1969) 
Sbornik po prudovomu rybovodstvu, 79-89 
Moskva, VNIRO. 
The significance of detritus in the nutrition of aquatic animals, 
especially of the small representatives of the zooplankton, has been 
studied very slightly. 
There are works in which are determined the growth, fertility and 
maturing of M. rectirostris with feeding on algae and bacteria (Zarinskaya, 
1939; Vasil'eva, 1959; Kryuchkova, 1967; Walander Ander, 1940, and 
others). 
The authors of these works established that in M. rectirostris 
with feeding on protococcal and single-celled green algae and bacteria 
the beginning of formation of eggs takes place in 2 - 4 days. The 
young appear in 4 - 6 days. In 1 - 3 days the females form a new 
generation. The average number of young, born of one female, 
according to data of various authors, varies from 12 to 45 individuals 
(maximum 100). 
Work devoted to the study of the growth and fertility of 
Ceriodaphina quadrangula is little, and data on the productive effect 
of detritus on M. rectirostris and C. quadrangula are not known to us. 
Under laboratory conditions we established that the fundamental 
pond forms of Cladocera, among them M. rectirostris and C. quadrangula 
are fed on detritus of natural origin. 
The diel ration for M. rectirostris with feeding on detritus, 
formed principally of algae, comprised 51.3% of the moist weight of 
the animal (mean of 24 experiments), and for C. quadrangula - 28.3 
(mean of 30 experiments). 
In order to determine the assimilability and productive: effect of 
detritus, we set up experiments, permitting (us) to characterize the 
rate of growth, speed of maturing and fertility of M. rectirostris and 
C. quadrangula with feeding of them on detritus of different composition 
and age. 
Growth of Moina rectirostris on different foods. 
-2-
The work was carried out in the summer of 1967 at the base of the. 
pond fish farm "Yakot" under the guidance of Candidate of Biological 
Science I.B. Bogatova. 
The crustaceans for the experiments were taken from laboratory 
cultures. 
The young of M. rectirostris and C. quadrangula vacating the brood 
chamber of the maternal organism, we transplanted, to little beakers of 
100 ml volume, with a food medium. (One specimen per beaker). 
The experiments we carried out on young (aged 10 - 15 days) and old 
(aged 40 - 45 days) detritus, formed basically of phytoplankton, and 
also detritus of animal origin (organisms of the zooplankton), from 
higher vegetation (reeds, duckweed, and water-pepper), from filamentous 
algae and from the bottom of ponds, As control food served hydrolysed 
yeast and planktonic algae. 
Detritus for the experiments we obtained in polyethylene fish tanks 
established in ponds, and detritus from the bottom of ponds we 
collected on the day of their draining. 
During the experiments we conducted observations on the linear 
growth of the crustaceans, recorded the time of depositing the first 
parthenogenetic eggs and considered the number of eggs deposited by 
one female during the time of the experiment. 
The measurement of the crustaceans and the "renewing of the food 
medium we carried out after every two days. At the beginning of the 
experiment and before renewing of the food medium we took samples for 
calculating the total quantity of bacteria, 
The temperature of the water in the experimental beakers varied 
from 18 to 21°. 
Experiments were conducted with five-fold replications. Altogether 
105 experiments were carried out with M. rectirostris and 100 with 
C. quadrangula. 
Besides this, experiments were conducted with all the above-
enumerated foods, which we treated in Lugol's solution. The 
concentration utilized (22-8) killed the basic mass of bacteria and at 
the same time did not show a fatal* effect on the crustaceans. 
We did not succeed in obtaining complete sterilisation of the food, 
but the quantity of bacteria in all experiments with the use of Lugol's 
solution was kept to a minimum's 
* the word "nubitel'nogo" looks like a misprint 
-3-
The. greatest linear growth of both species of crustacean was on 
fresh detritus from phytoplankton, on old detritus it was somewhat 
lower. The growth of the animals on algae was even lower. 
Thus in the first case after 17. days of the experiment the length 
of M. rectirostris attained 1.68 mm, C. quadrangula - 1.34 mm, in the 
second after the same period respectively - 1.42 and 1.25 mm, and in 
the third -1.35 and 1.11 mm. 
Such conformity was observed in all experiments. This testifies 
that young detritus of algal origin possesses a higher food value than 
old. 
In proportion to the age of the detritus is observed a lowering of 
the nutrient matter and the numbers of bacteria in its particles 
(Rodina, 1963). 
Retardation of the rate of growth of the crustaceans on algae 
evidently is connected with the small availability and low 
assimilability of the contents of the algal cells, and also with the 
number of bacteria in these experiments. We showed that the numbers 
and biomass of bacteria were significantly higher in experiments in. 
which we used fresh detritus as food, lower in experiments on old 
detritus and even lower on algae (Table 1 and Figs 1, 2, 3). 
Linear growth of M. rectirostris and C. quadrangula on detritus 
from zooplankton was comparatively low. Evidently, this food appears 
poor value for the crustaceans, since in natural conditions they 
basically consume vegetable food. It is possible that these organisms 
are not adapted for the digestion of food of animal origin. 
The low growth of the animals on hydrolysed yeasts may be 
explained first of all by the small content of bacteria in this food, 
and also the lower food value of them by comparison with algae and 
detritus of algal origin. 
The rate of growth of the crustaceans on detritus from the bottom 
of ponds was very low. Probably this is explained by the fact that 
the detritus is old; besides that, there was in it more than 90% 
inorganic admixture. 
Linear growth of the animals on detritus from filamentous algae 
and higher vegetation was comparatively high, but lower than on 
detritus from phytoplankton. 
A very high rate of growth of the crustaceans was recorded on 
detritus from duckweed. The length of M. rectirostris at the end of 
the experiment reached 1.2 mm, G. quadrangula 1.1mm. On detritus from 
reeds and filamentous algae we noted that growth was lower. In 
experiments using as food detritus from water pepper and a mixture of 
higher vegetation the crustaceans of M. rectirostris died. The length 
-4-
of C. quadrangula on d e t r i t u s from water pepper af ter 17 days reached 
0.85 mm, and on d e t r i t u s from a mixture of higher vegetat ion, 0.94 mm. 
We showed the numbers and biomass of bacter ia in these experiments 
to d i f fe r l i t t l e from analogous indicators in the experiments on a lgal 
d e t r i t u s . Evidently, pa r t i c l e s of t h i s food were less accessible to 
the animals. And d e t r i t u s from water pepper and a mixture of higher 
vegetat ion, in a l l p robabi l i ty , possessed a cer ta in tox ic i ty for the 
crustaceans. 
On food t rea ted with Lugol's solut ion 80 experiments with 
M. r e c t i r o s t r i s and 75 with C. quadrangula were carr ied out. In a l l 
experiments the r a t e of growth of the animals was lower than the ra te 
of growth on corresponding food not t reated with Lugol 's solut ion. 
This t e s t i f i e s that bac te r ia contribute a boost to the food value of 
d e t r i t u s . But growth of the crustaceans in these experiments did not 
s ign i f i can t ly f a l l behind the norm. This confirms our proposi t ion, 
tha t as determining factors of the food value of d e t r i t u s appear i t s 
o r ig in and degree of decomposition, and the quantity of bac te r ia i s 
an addi t ional f ac to r . 
On the bas i s of the data on l inea r growth was calculated the d i e l 
increase (according to Vinberg, 1956), expressed as a percentage of 
the i n i t i a l length of the animals. 
Very high growth (Table 2) was recorded in experiments on fresh 
d e t r i t u s from phytoplankton, not- t rea ted with Lugol's solut ion 
(M. r e c t i r o s t r i s - 20.9%, C. quadrangula - 2 1 . 1 % , and very low on 
d e t r i t u s from the bottom of ponds (16.5 and 16.2%) and on d e t r i t u s from 
filamentous algae (16.9 and 16%), 
The average number of young per female af ter the time of the 
experiments maintains the same pr inc ip le (Table 3) . 
I t follows to record that in experiments using Lugol's solut ion 
the numbers of young in broods of M. r e c t i r o s t r i s did not exceed 10, 
and in C. quadrangular . In experiments without th i s so lu t ion the 
numbers of young reached 40 and more in M. r e c t i r o s t r i s and 35 i n 
C. quadrangula. 
On d e t r i t u s of a lga l origin (fresh and old) the crustaceans matured, 
e a r l i e r a l together in 4 days. 
In experiments in which l ive plankton algae were used as food, 
maturity came in 4 - 5 days. 
In experiments using Lugol's solution, maturity came later. 
This t e s t i f i e s that food with a reduced content of bac te r i a 
cannot provide for normal development of the animals, but has the 
ability to support it to a certain level, 
-5-
The experiments carried out showed that detritus of different 
origins, and age is assimilated even by such small forms of Cladocera 
as M. rectirostris and C. quadrangula. These animals grew, matured and 
produced progeny in almost all the experiments. 
Characteristics of the rate of growth, time of maturity and 
fertility of M. rectirostris and C. quadrangula testify to this, that 
of all tested foods the greatest food value was provided by detritus of 
algal origin. The food value of algae in our experiments was lower. 
In the experiments on detritus from zooplankton the crustaceans grew 
worse, therefore its food value for the crustaceans is. small. Yeast, 
detritus from pond bottoms, from filamentous algae, water pepper and 
mixed higher vegetation provide still lower food value. 
The food value of detritus from duckweed and reeds is comparatively 
high, but significantly lower than detritus from phytoplankton. 
This principle was also observed in the experiments of food which 
was treated with Lugol's solution. 
Literature 
Vasil'eva, G.A. Investigations on the ecology of Cladocera in 
connection with raising them as living food for fish. 
Tr. Mosrybutuza. Byp. 10, 1959. 
Vinberg, G.G. Intensity of metabolism and food consumption of 
fish. Minsk, 1956. 
Zarinskaya, E.A. Raising of young sturgeon and cultivation of 
food for them. Tr. VNIRO, T. VIII. 1939. 
Kryuchkova, N.M. Utilization of food in growth of Moina rectirostris 
Leydig. Zool. Zh. 46, 7, 1967. 
Rodina, A.G. Content of bacteria in detritus of Lake Priladozha. 
Mikrobiologiya, 32, 6, 1963. 
Walander Ander. Wachstum von Moina rectirostris. Arch. 
Entwicklungsmech. Org. 146, 1, 1940. 
Number of bacteria in experiments Table 1 
Rate of growth of animals with different feeding. 
7 
No. of young and time of 
maturing 
Growth of Ceriodaphnia quadrangula on different foods. 
Growth of Ceriodaphnia quadrangula on 
detritus from higher vegetation. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notice 
 
 
Please note that these translations were produced to assist the scientific staff of the 
FBA (Freshwater Biological Association) in their research. These translations were 
done by scientific staff with relevant language skills and not by professional 
translators. 
 
 
 


Growth and reproduction of Moina rectirostris (Leydig) and Ceriodaphnia quadrangula (O. F. Muller) with feeding on detritus. [Translation from: Sbornik po prudovomu rybovodstvu, 79-89. Moscow, VNIRO, 1969.]

http://aquaticcommons.org/4828/1/53_1969_esip_grow.pdf

Growth and reproduction of Moina rectirostris (Leydig) and Ceriodaphnia quadrangula (O. F. Muller) with feeding on detritus. [Translation from: Sbornik po prudovomu rybovodstvu, 79-89. Moscow, VNIRO, 1969.]

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