First feeding strategy for hatchery produced Beluga sturgeon, Huso huso larvae

Authors

Abstract

 Co-feeding
of fish larvae with live food and formulated diet has been at the focus of fish
nutritionists since last decade. In this study we tried to refine the feeding
practices of great beluga sturgeon (Huso huso) larvae using different
combinations of newly hatched Artemia urmiana nauplii and trout starter
diet. Three replicate groups (250
fish/replicate) of first-feeding Huso huso
larvae were fed on the basis of four main
feeding regimens: (1) live food (live nauplii of brine shrimp Artemia urmiana)
(2) indirect transition (5 days live food followed by gradual transition to
formulated diet) (3) direct transition (using different combinations of live
and formulated diet from start feeding) (4) formulated feed (FD). It
was found that combining live food and manufactured diets (co-feeding) from
first feeding stage (direct transition) significantly improves the weight gain
in H. huso larvae followed by indirect transition, live food and FD. But
survival was significantly higher in larvae fed on pure live food and direct
transition regimens compared to indirect transition and FD. It was concluded that co-feeding of H.
huso could be started immediately from commencement of exogenous feeding. 

Keywords