African Journal of Fisheries Science

African Journal of Fisheries Science ISSN 2375-0715 Vol. 8 (8), pp. 001-010, August, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Small-scale continuous production of a tropical marine copepod, Nitocra affinis californica Lang and its potential as live food for aquaculture

Hazel Monica Matias-Peralta¹, Fatimah Md. Yusoff^1,2*, Mohamed Shariff² and Suhaila Mohamed³

¹Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Institute of Bioscience, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM-Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.

²Marine Science and Aquaculture Laboratory, Institute of Bioscience, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM-Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.

³Department of Food Science, Faculty of Food Science and Biotechnology, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM-Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.

Accepted 21 February, 2020

Abstract

A study to establish a relatively simple and reliable small scale mass production and the nutritional profile of Nitocra affinis was undertaken. The result confirmed the feasibility of maintaining N. affinis on a small scale for a long period using cheaply available culture vessels. Within six weeks (42 days) a minimum harvest of 43.6 x 10³ copepod^.L^-1 and maximum of 44.5 x 10³ copepod^.L^-1 were obtained. Using several numbers of vessels (2L-capacity) for mass production, it was feasible to harvest 15.0 x 10³ copepod ^.L^-1 daily after two weeks of inoculation. Nitocra affinis has a great potential as live food because it contained high protein (39 to 52%), lipid (13 to 23%) and carbohydrates (8 to 11%). It also contained high level of n-3 HUFA (up to 44%) and n-6 HUFA (up to 14%). In addition it contained high amount of DHA (up to 19%) and EPA (up to 25%). Moreover, levels and ratios of fatty acids closely matched both the requirements of marine finfish and shrimp larvae.

Key words: Mariculture, live food, marine copepod, Nitocra affinis, fatty acids.