Effects of first feeding regime on growth performance, survival rate and development of digestive system in pikeperch (Sander lucioperca) larvae

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of first feeding regime on growth performance, survival rate, and development of digestive organs (intestine, liver and pancreas) in pikeperch (Sander lucioperca) larvae. The fish larvae at 5 days post-hatch (DPH), were initially fed with rotifers (Brachionus plicatilis) for 3 days and from 8 to 17 DPH were fed with rotifers/Artemia for different time periods as follows: (A) only rotifers; (B) 8-13 DPH rotifers/14-17 DPH Artemia; (C) 8-10 DPH rotifers/11-17 DPH Artemia; (D) only Artemia; (E) a combination of rotifers and Artemia. Growth performance, survival rate and histological features of intestine, liver and pancreas were assessed at 11, 14 and 17 DPH to examine the effects of feeding regime. The groups fed rotifers for initial 3 days followed by feeding on Artemia (group D) (53 +/- 5.43%) and combination of rotifers and Artemia (group E) (68 +/- 5.51%), respectively, for the following 9 days showed significantly (P lt .05) higher survival rates than the other groups (36-50%). The group fed merely on rotifers (groups A) exhibited significantly lower specific growth rate (SGR) than the other groups, and the highest SGR was found in the group fed with combination of rotifers and Artemia after 3 day rotifer feeding. Moreover, the highest total length (8.57 +/- 0.57 mm), myotome height (0.75 +/- 0.09 mm) and eye diameter (0.58 +/- 0.05 mm) were obtained by combined feeding of rotifers and Artemia after 3 day of initial rotifer feeding. Significant differences among groups were found in morphometric parameters in the anterior intestine and liver. The results of histological examination of the liver, intestine and pancreas did not show any obvious pathological changes in all groups. In conclusion, feeding with rotifers from 5 to 8 DPH and afterwards with Artemia could be suggested as an economical feeding regime for first feeding of pikeperch larvae as comparable survival and growth to co-feeding with rotifers and Artemia were achieved.