Pollution Research Paper

CULTURE OF ZOOPLANKTON FOR REARING FISH LARVAE

MEHRAJ UD DIN, W. AND K. ALTAFF

Abstract

Culture of the cladocerans (Moina micrura, Ceriodaphnia cornuta) and a cyclopoid copepod (Thermocyclops decipiens) was undertaken in the present study. Culture of these organisms was carried out for 21 days in100 litre fibre tanks in a medium fertilized with chicken manure at the rate of 500ppm. Paramecium sp. and Cryptodifflugia sp. were the protozoan recorded. Atmospheric temperature, water temperature and pH of the culture media were recorded daily. Higher density of C. cornuta (10,232ind./L), M. micrura (7493ind./L) and Thermocyclops decipiens (5527ind./L) were obtained on 17th, 11th and 21st day of the culture respectively. Importance of these organisms as live feed is discussed in the light of the previous reports.