The effect of Artemia nauplii (Artemia franciscana) enriched with different commercial products on the growth performance of the larvae of freshwater angelfish, Pterophyllum scalare (Lichtenstein, 1823)

The present study was planned to determine an optimum live-feeding protocol for angelfish larvae (Pterophyllum scalare). Larvae with an initial weight of 0.10 mg, a length of 4.5 mm, and a depth of 1 mm were reared on three different feeding regimens for 30 days. All experimental larval groups were fed Artemia nauplii from the end of the yolk-sac resorption. The control treatment (Group I) was maintained on Artemia nauplii on days 14-28, and on Artemia nauplii + dry feed on days 29 and 30. Group II was reared with Artemia nauplii enriched with Algamac 3050 on days 14-28 and with dry feed + Artemia nauplii enriched with Algamac 3050 on days 29 and 30, whereas Group III was fed with Artemia nauplii enriched with Red Pepper on days 14-28, and with dry food + Artemia nauplii enriched with Red Pepper on days 29 and 30. The highest weight (37.8±0.51 mg) and length (15.8±0.35 mm) were determined in Group II with significant differences from the control group (p<0.05). However, enrichment treatments were comparable in terms of growth performance (p>0.05). The survival rate of the larvae in the treatments varied between 70-75% without significant differences (p>0.05). Overall, the study results suggest that a feeding protocol for angelfish larvae with the administration of Artemia nauplii during the first two weeks after hatching and then enriched Artemia with Algamac 3050 over the following 14-28 days followed by a gradual weaning onto dry feed.