Use of freeze-dried microalgae for rearing gilthead seabream, Sparus aurata L., larvae. II. Biochemical composition

The objectives of this study were to test whether freeze-dried microalgae a re nutritionally adequate for rearing rotifers as food for gilthead seabrea m larvae. The elemental composition (C, N, H) and fatty acid composition we re analysed in larvae of gilthead seabream, Sparus aurata L., rotifers Brac hionus plicatilis and Brachionus rotundiformis and freeze-dried microalgae Nannochloropsis oculata. Four larval feeding treatments were tested: (A) la rvae fed rotifers cultivated with freeze-dried microalgae and daily additio n of freeze-dried microalgae to the larval tanks; (B) larvae fed rotifers c ultivated with freeze-dried microalgae and daily addition of live microalga e to the larval tanks; (C) larvae fed rotifers cultivated with freeze-dried microalgae, without addition of microalgae to the larval tank and (D) larv ae fed rotifers cultivated with live microalgae and daily addition of live microalgae to the larval tanks. No significant differences were observed be tween the biochemical composition of larvae with treatment A (with freeze-d ried microalgae) and the composition of larvae in treatment D that were obt ained with the acceptable methods for culture systems (with live microalgae ).