Laboratory cultured fairy shrimps Branchipus pasai and Chirocephalus kerkyrensis, fed on an alga (Selenastrum capricornutum), a yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and on HUFA enriched yeast (Lansy PZ, produced by Artemia Systems, Gent, Belgium) were evaluated for their fatty acid (FA) profiles and total lipid content in order to obtain information on species differences in food conversion. The results indicate significant qualitative and quantitative differences (P<0.001) in FA profiles both of feed and of fairy shrimp species. Among the three different diets, an appreciable lipid amount was recorded in the alga, as compared with baker's yeast which showed the poorest lipid content. The algal fatty acid profile showed adequate amounts of the EFA 18:2n6, 18:3n3 and 20:5n3 (the most meaningful for aquacultural purposes). The enriched yeast was characterised by a considerable total lipid amount and by the presence of all the EFA. The overall amounts of fatty acids in the fairy shrimps correlated well with their levels in the feed (r>0.9, P<0.001). An exception was noted in the n-3 HUFA (highly unsaturated fatty acids) and n-6 acids, among the individuals fed on yeast. Highly significant differences (P<0.001) were also noted between the two fairy shrimp species fed on the same food type. When fed enriched yeast, both B. pasai and C. kerkyrensis profiles roughly reflected diet composition. However, when fed on algae or baker's yeast, the two species, though to different extents, exhibited higher EFA levels than those recorded in the food. This seems to support the existence of a partial FA bioconversion capacity in fairy shrimps previously noted in the case of the brine shrimp Artemia.
(Univ. Roma La Sapienza, Dipartimento Biol. Anim. And Uomo, Viale Univ. 32, I-00185 Rome, Italy)
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