Evaluating the effects of single cell detritus from red seaweed (Gracillaria tenuistipitata) and gutweed (Enteromorpha sp.) on growth of Artemia franciscana

Abstract

The ability to produce single cell detritus (SCD) from different seaweed species, red seaweed, Gracillaria tenuistipitata and green seaweed, Enteromorpha sp. was determined and assessed the effects of selected SCD diet on survival rate, growth performance and reproductive characteristics of Artemia franciscana under laboratory conditions. Experiment 1 included 8 treatments with red and green seaweeds, combined with yeast fermentation at different densities (0, 104, 105, 106 cells/mL). The results showed that, the density of SCD reached highest at day 7 in the treatments added 106 yeast cells/mL (88.480±2.769×106 and 100.752±2.687×106cells/mL of red and green seaweeds, respectively). Although the density of SCD was highest at 106 yeast cells/mL, the yeast density and NH4+ concentration in green seaweed fermentation were high (5-10 mg/L). Thus, the treatment of red seaweed and 105 yeast cells/mL obtained the suitable ability to harvest and preserve SCD for feeding Artemia.  In experiment 2, Artemia were fed with 5 different diets with treplicates per each. Commercial feed No.0 (for nursing shrimp) was the control and 4 diets in which the shrimp food was replaced by SCD with proportion of 100, 75, 50 and 25%. Our findings showed that diet with 50% shrimp food and 50% SCD or 75% shrimp food and 25% SCD showed the high survival rate and good growth performance, as well as positive effects on the reproductive characteristics of Artemia franciscana.