Abstract

DAVID, Carlos et al. Initial diet composition affects weight gain and total length of Pacu (Piaractus brachypomus) larvae. Rev Colom Cienc Pecua [online]. 2011, vol.24, n.1, pp.48-53. ISSN 0120-0690.

Weigh gain, length, and survival of Pacu (Piaractus brachypomus) larvae were analyzed after they were fed one of four diets. At 36 hours post-hatching larvae were fed for the first time and during three consecutive days: Artemia salina nauplii (T1), wild plankton filtered to 200 microns (T2) , concentrated powder with 48% crude protein (T3) or no diet (fasting, T4). Animals were kept at a density of 70 larvae per liter. Statistically significant differences were observed with respect to the final weight for T1, T2, T3, and T4 (2.2 ± 0.3a, 1.7 ± 0.3b, 1.5 ± 0.3bc, 1.5 ± 0.2c mg, respectively) , final length (6.37 ± 0.29a, 0.20b ± 6.16, 5.95 ± 0.27c, 0.26c ± 5.87 mm, respectively), weight gain (0.77 ± 0.39a, 0.31b ± 0.34, 0.16 ± 0.37bc, 0.08 ± 0.21 c mg, respectively) and length gain (0.39 ± 0.17A, 0.18 ± 0.15b, 0.16c ± -0023, -0102 ± 0.15c mm, respectively). The T1 diet had the best results for optimal growth, followed by T2. The survival rate was not statistically different among treatments. These data suggest that the initial diet composition can affect subsequent growth characteristics of Pacu larvae.

Keywords : Artemia salina; Pacu; Piaractus brachypomus; wild plankton; first feeding.

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