The effects of weaning strategies of cobia (
Rachycentron canadum L.) larvae to commercial microdiets, either from rotifers or from
Artemia, on growth, survival and enzymatic digestive capacity, were investigated. In the first experiment, cobia larvae were weaned
from rotifers by co-feeding with a microdiet (Otohime) from 8, 13 or 20 days post-hatching (dph). The larvae in the control
treatment were fed rotifers (2–12 dph),
Artemia nauplii from 7 dph, and co-fed with the microdiet from 20 dph. In the second experiment, the larvae were weaned from
Artemia, which was fed to the larvae from 7 dph, by co-feeding with a microdiet (NRD) from 8, 13 or 18 dph. The larvae in control
treatment were fed rotifers, then
Artemia to the end of the experiment (28 dph). Weaning of cobia larvae onto a microdiet directly from rotifers significantly reduced
growth, survival and digestive capacity of the larvae and did not lead to larval acceptance of the microdiet, compared to
those weaned from
Artemia in the first experiment. Early weaning of cobia larvae onto NRD microdiet (on 8 or 13 dph) from
Artemia in the second experiment also reduced growth, survival rate and gut maturation index, compared to those fed live feed. With
available microdiets, weaning of cobia larvae could start from
Artemia at around 18 dph in order to obtain comparable growth, survival and gut maturation to larvae fed live feed.
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