Weaning of hatchery-bred milkfish larvae from live food to artificial diets

Abstract

Two-week old milkfish (Chanos chanos ) larvae (7.5 mm standard length, 2.3 mg wet body weight) previously fed only rotifers were weaned abruptly to six artificial diets (commercial feed TP, artificial plankton AS and BP, experimental SEAFDEC diets CT and CB, and moist egg diet) with control larvae fed Artemia nauplii. Survival rates ranged from 38% on moist egg diet to 63% on BP, with 42% in the control. On day 43, larvae attained mean lengths of 7.7 mm on moist egg diet to 13.4 mm on Artemia , with no significant differences between diets. The mean wet weights were highest in larvae fed Artemia (77.8 mg). Results show the feasibility of weaning (gradually) even younger milk-fish larvae in hatcheries, using artificial diets.