Year: 2023
Type: book-chapter
Abstract: Microalgae are considered as a valuable organic resource with a potential \napplication in finfish, shellfish and molluscan culture. Being, rich source of essential \nfatty acids (EPA and DHA), the microalgae have very important role even in human \nnutrition. Microalgae culture forms an inevitable component in aquaculture venture \nespecially seed production of either finfishes or shell fishes. Cultivated microalgae \nhave long been integral to the hatchery production of many farmed finfish, shellfish \nand other commercially important aquaculture species. Molluscs like oysters, \nmussels and clams filter them from the sea water in all stages of life. Rotifers and \nbrine shrimps also ingest algae, and are then themselves used as food for larval \nfish and prawns. The shrimp hatcheries use micro algae as food for the early larvae \nand later for the water quality maintenance. In many hatchery systems algae are \nadded to the water containing larvae to improve the ‘quality’ of water as green \nwater systems. The production of live algae is very critical in the successful hatchery \nmanagement. In the natural environment, the larvae feed on any minute plant \ncomponents which are readily available to them. But in a hatchery, the feed which \nare acceptable to the larvae for their growth and further development have to be \nidentified and isolated. In the early critical stages of the rearing larvae of fin fishes \nand shellfishes, the phyto-flagellates (species of Isochrysis, Pavlova, Dicrateria, \nChromulina and Tetraselmis) and other nanoplankters (species of Chlorella and \nSynechocystis) form the basic food. But in the post larval stages of crustaceans \nand spat or juvenile stages of bivalves, the diatoms (species of Chaetoceros, \nSkeletonema and Thalassiosira) form the primary food. Hence the culture of micro \nalgae is an essential prerequisite for the rearing operations of economically \nimportant cultivable organisms in a hatchery system.
Authors: Xavier, Biji, Balla, Vamsi, Venkatesh, R P
Language: English
Field: Energy
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDGs: Life below water, Zero hunger
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7004994934