Nutritional evaluation and bio-enrichment of Artemia franciscana nauplii for Brachydanio rerio

Fisheries and aquaculture play an essential role in the livelihoods of millions of people around the world. Eighty-six percent of fishers and fish farmers worldwide live in Asia with China having the most considerable numbers (8.1 million fishers and 4.5 million fish farmers). In 2006 other countries with a significant amount of fishers and fish farmers were India Indonesia the Philippines and Viet Nam (FAO 2009). The use of Artemia nauplii as live food for crustacean and fish larvae is widespread in marine and freshwater aquaculture. Artemia nauplii can be offered either solely or enriched with essential nutrients.However live foods that are commonly used for the first feeding of marine larvae such as rotifers and Artemia sp. are naturally low in these essential fatty acids (EFAs). Therefore the enrichment of live foods with lipids abundant in EFA before feeding is necessary.