OPTIMIZATION OF MASS PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY FOR COPEPODS Thermocyclops hyalinus (REHBERG, 1880)
The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of two microalgal species viz. Chlorella Vulgaris and Spirulina platensis on mass production of copepod (Thermocyclops hyalinus) in indoor and outdoor culture systems. The experiment was conducted in 1000-liter capacity fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) tanks. The algal samples were collected from natural ponds, identified and isolated using the microscope and pure strain cultured using agar plating method.
Copepods were also collected from natural ponds, identified and isolated using the microscope and stocked in one-liter plastic bottles to use as the stock inoculum. Two separate tanks were fertilized using media GNOC, Urea, and SSP at the standardized ratio of 250gm, 10gm and 5gm respectively. The pure strains of C. vulgaris and S. platensis were inoculated on the same day into the tanks. Copepods were introduced at the rate of 50 to 100 individuals per liter of water in all tanks. The animals were fed daily with C. vulgaris and S. platensis at the rate of 25000 ±500 cells s/ml. The experiment was conducted following completely randomized design (CRD) showing maximum mean population growth on the 12th day reaching up to 16.66±0.57 individuals/mL fed with C. vulgaris and 13.66±0.57 individuals/mL fed with S. platensis in an indoor culture system. The duration of trials was 30 days for both the treatments. The present study envisages that in indoor culture system copepod, Thermocyclops hyalinus fed with C. vulgaris can be mass cultured and the present study is useful in the mass production of copepods enabling larval rearing in aquaculture and aquariculture.
