Dietary effects of phytoplankton and zooplankton on the larval survival, duration and growth of the atyid shrimp Atyopsis spinipes (Decapoda: Caridea: Atyidae) under laboratory conditions

Abstract

We conducted two laboratory experiments to evaluate the dietary effects of phytoplankton and zooplankton on the larval survival, duration and growth of the amphidromous atyid shrimp Atyopsis spinipes. In the first experiment, commercially preserved or cultured phytoplankton Tetraselmis sp. and cultured zooplankton rotifers were used to rear larvae. In the second experiment, cultured Tetraselmis and rotifers were used to feed larvae for 17 days after hatching, after which the effect of supple- menting their diet with Artemia nauplii was tested. The effects of different culture ves- sel volumes (8 mL and 40 mL) on larval performance were also assessed. In the first experiment, larvae fed only with preserved Tetraselmis did not survive to the juvenile stage, whereas larvae fed with rotifers showed better survival and development. In the second experiment, most larvae receiving Artemia supplementation survived to the ju- venile stage. Larvae cultured in larger containers (40 mL) had significantly higher sur- vival rates than those cultured in smaller containers (8 mL). The present study demon- strates larval culture methodologies for A. spinipes that can promote the development of larvae into the juvenile stage with high survival rates.