The Use of Cyanobacteria <i>Arthrospira platensis</i> and Cladoceran <i>Daphnia magna</i> as Complementary Protein and Lipid Sources in Transitional Diet for Common Carp (<i>Cyprinus carpio</i> L.) Nursery

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the use of cyanobacteria Arthrospira platensis and cladoceran Daphnia magna biomass as complementary protein and lipid sources in diet supplementation for common carp ( Cyprinus carpio L.) nursery. Three experimental diets containing A. platensis and D. magna meal at different concentrations were compared to the commercial (control) diet. Each experimental diet (ED) was set to contain D. magna and A. platensis meal at a specific combination: 2% and 5%, 2% and 7%, and 4% and 5% for ED1, ED2 and ED3, respectively. The protein and lipid content of the experimental diets ranged from 43.20% to 44.60% dry weight (DW) and 10.64% to 13.42% DW, respectively; while the protein and lipid content of the control diet were 43.00% DW and 6.72% DW, respectively. After 20 days of feeding period, ED3 group obtained the highest final body weight (BW) (58.18 ± 35.24 mg), total biomass (1936 ± 1625 mg), food conversion rate (1.34 ± 0.04), and specific growth rate (12.86 ± 0.03% BW day – 1 ) among all treatment groups (P > 0.05); while ED1 group obtained the highest survival (75.5% ± 7.47%) among all treatment groups (P > 0.05). The total bacterial count and total pathogenic Aeromonas sp. in the culture water of the treatment groups (ranged from 2.00 to 2.65 × 10 5 CFU mL – 1 and 3.50 to 4.12 × 10 3 CFU mL – 1 , respectively) were lower compared to the water of the control group fed (3.73 × 10 5 and 4.70 × 10 3 CFU mL – 1 , respectively). No significant differences in physicochemical water quality parameters were observed among treatments (P > 0.05). The current study suggests that the combination of A. platensis and D. magna biomass can be used as complementary protein and lipid sources in diet supplementation for common carp larvae and can result in a comparable fish growth, survival and feed utilization in common carp culture at the nursery phase.