Current status of live feed production for larviculture- Winter School on Recent Advances in Breeding and Larviculture of Marine Finfish and Shellfish

The major expansion of marine finfish and crustacean aquaculture since 1980s around the world can be attributed to the development of standard mass production techniques of live feeds. Eventhough most farmed marine animals are either carnivorous or omnivorous from their post larval stages, micro algae are required for larval nutrition during a brief period either for direct consumption or indirectly as food for live prey fed to small larvae. The hatchery production of penaeid shrimp post larvae depends on the use of live diatoms for the early stages and Artemia for later stages. The hatchery production of juveniles of marine finfish is achieved globally by the use of rotifers and Artemia. Microalgae are also routinely used in the ‘greenwater technique’ employed for marine finfish larviculture