Copepod diapause eggs: a potential source of
nauplii for aquaculture
N.H. Marcus, M. Murray-2001
Aquaculture, 201(1-2): 107-115
Abstract:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility
of producing, storing, and hatching copepod diapause eggs that could be used
as a source of nauplii for rearing larval fish. The copepod Centropages
hamatus was reared on a mixed diet of four dinoflagellates: Gymnodinium
sanguineum, Lingulodinium polyedra, Prorocentrum micans, and Scrippsiella
trochoidea, in 19-l carboys mounted on a plankton rotator in a walk-in
environmental chamber, set at 15°C and a 12L-12D cycle. Eleven experiments
were conducted. Following maturation to the adult stage, eggs were produced
over a 16-33 day period. Total egg production was assessed in three of the
experiments and ranged from 1.2 to 2.4 million eggs. Hatching success was
generally >80% for eggs stored 4-17 months at 25°C. Diapause eggs
shipped via overnight express remained viable and were used as a source of
nauplii to feed larval fish.
(Department of Oceanography, Florida State
University, Tallahassee, FL 32306 USA, Tel.: +1-850-644-5498; fax:
+1-850-644-2581, e-mail: marcus@ocean.fsu.edu)