A study was undertaken to assess the effectiveness of using copepods in larviculture of silver pompano (Trachinotus blochii), which is a candidate species for mariculture and coastal aquaculture. Newly hatched larvae of silver pompano were reared in three groups such that, one group received rotifer (Brachionus plicatilis & B rotundiformis) as live feed, the second group received copepod nauplii (Parvocalanus crassirostris) and the third group were fed with a combination of both rotifer and copepod. The stocking density of larvae was 10 nos per litre. In all the three sets, the total live feed density was maintained at 10-15 nos/ml. Microalgae (Nannochloropsis occulata and Isochrysis galbana) were also added to all the larval rearing tanks to maintain a cell density of 2 - 2.5 x 105 cells/ml. Water quality parameters during the experiment were: salinity: 33-35ppt, Temperature: 28-30 ,pH: 7.8 -8.2, D.O: 4-6ppm. Routine management protocols established for pompano larviculture was followed for all the tanks which include daily bottom siphoning to remove settled matter, water exchange, daily addition of required quantity of live feeds to maintain the desired live feed density etc. The experiment was continued till final metamorphosis of the larvae to juveniles.
Growth, survival and metamorphosis rate of the larvae were recorded to assess the impact of different live feeds used in the experiment. It was observed that, a combination of rotifer and copepod could yield better survival and growth; whereas the larvae fed with copepods exhibited a faster rate of metamorphosis.