A novel culture system for
the ultra-high-density production of the rotifer, Brachionus
rotundiformis––a preliminary report
K. Yoshimura, K. Tanaka, T. Yoshimatsu
Aquaculture, 227(1-4): 165-172
Abstract:
A novel culture system for continuous filtration of
culture water was developed for ultra-high-density production of a marine
rotifer. This ultra-high-density culture system is equipped with a membrane
filtration unit (pore size: 0.4 µm) set inside a culture vessel. The
culture performance of this system was tested by feeding freshwater Chlorella
paste as feed in a 4-day batch culture.
To prevent the membrane surface from fouling, the
filtration unit was cleaned every day by dipping it in a NaOCl solution. The
membrane filter unit was effective in exchanging the culture water with a
high level of ammonia with fresh seawater, while rotifers and Chlorella
cells were retained in the vessel. Using this membrane filtration unit with
the supply of oxygen gas, a rotifer density of more than 1.6×105
individuals ml-1 was obtained on the 4th day of culture. The
removal of accumulated ammonia from the culture water enabled an increase of
the productivity and of the vitality of the rotifers.
(Fukuoka Mariculture Corp., Fukuoka 811-3512, Japan,
e-mail of T. Yoshimatsu: takao@brs.kyushu-u.ac.jp)