Eggs of gilthead seabream Sparus aurata L-as a potential enrichment product of Brachionus sp in the larval rearing of gilthead seabream Sparus aurataL.

The gilthead seabream Sparus aurata L. is a sequential spawner whose reprod uctive cycle can be manipulated to obtain year-round egg and fry production . Hence, there is an overproduction of eggs in commercial hatcheries that i s normally wasted. Two feeding experiments were conducted with the purpose of investigating the potential use of fresh and freeze-dried gilthead seabr eam eggs for the enrichment of live preys. The first experiment was also de signed to study the possibility of using freeze-drying as a conservation pr ocess for eggs in excess. Larvae were reared for 20 days after hatching (DA H),on a diet of Brachionus sp. As experimental controls, the commercial enr ichment emulsion SUPER HUFA was used in the first experiment, and the micro algae Nannochloropsis sp. in the second. This study demonstrated the potent ial of gilthead seabream eggs as an enrichment product to be used in the fe eding of the first larval stages of Sparus aurata L. The data obtained emph asize the need to have an overall perspective of the nutritional requiremen ts of the organisms in culture.