A Successful Microbound Diet for the Larval Culture of Chinese Shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis

A 13-day feeding trial was carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of a microbound diet for rearing the larvae of Chinese shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis in comparison with the live foods that consist of Isochrysis galbana, Chlorella vulgaris, Tetraselrnis chuii, rotifer （Brachionus plicatilis） and Arternia sp. Larvae of 0 to 13d post-hatch （dph） were reared in a temperature-controlled semi-open culture system and stocked at a density of 100 larvae L^-1 in tanks, each containing 50 L sterilized seawater with salinity 30-32. Larvae were manually fed either the live foods or the microbound diet 6 times per day. At 13 dph, the growth of the larvae fed on the microbound diet was approximately 84% of that fed on the live foods. The survival rate of the larvae fed on the microbound diet was 44.29% at 13dph, which was not significantly different from that of larvae fed on live foods （63.55%）. The body length and development index （DI） of the larvae fed on the microbound diet were always lower than those of larvae fed on live foods. However, the differences reached significant levels only at 11 and 13 dph （P〈 0.05）. The mean dry weight loss of the microbound diet was 9.2% after 90 min immersion in seawater, indicating that this diet has a good water stability. The microbound diet contains 52.23% crude protein and 10.27% lipid and is easy to prepare. These characteristics of the diet suggest good potentials for its successful use in the larviculture of other penaeid and fish species.

A 13-day feeding trial was carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of a microbound diet for rearing the larvae ofChinese shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis in comparison with the live foods that consist of Isochrysis galbana, Chlorella vul-garis, Tetraselmis chuii, rotifer (Brachionus plicatilis) and Artemia sp. Larvae of 0 to 13d post-hatch (dph) were reared ina temperature-controlled semi-open culture system and stocked at a density of 100 larvae L-1 in tanks, each containing 50 Lsterilized seawater with salinity 30-32. Larvae were manually fed either the live foods or the microbound diet 6 times perday. At 13 dph, the growth of the larvae fed on the microbound diet was approximately 84% of that fed on the live foods.The survival rate of the larvae fed on the microbound diet was 44.29% at 13 dph, which was not significantly different fromthat of larvae fed on live foods (63.55%). The body length and development index (DI) of the larvae fed on the microbounddiet were always lower than those of larvae fed on live foods. However, the differences reached significant levels only at 11and 13dph (P<0.05). The mean dry weight loss of the microbound diet was 9.2% after 90min immersion in seawater, indi-cating that this diet has a good water stability. The microbound diet contains 52.23% crude protein and 10.27% lipid and iseasy to prepare. These characteristics of the diet suggest good potentials for its successful use in the larviculture of other pe-naeid and fish species.