Adaptation and use of amphipoda in fish culture ponds in order to increase fish production

Abstract

Use and enrichment of live food resource in fish farms have been interested and highly demanded. Crustacean are one of the important groups. The Pontogammarus maeoticus dominated in southern Caspian Sea shore with a high abundance. This study was designed in order to adaptation and usage of amphipoda in fish culture ponds. The first part have been surveyed the laboratory experiments including of; to increasing and developing of P.maeoticus in 200 litter container, the effects of salinity on growth and survival of amphipods in many aquariums, the culture of common carp with amphipods and growth determination of them. Chemical composition analysis of P.maeoticus and carps fed by amphipods in compare to cultured carps from ordinary ponds. Due to concern about common healthy the heavy metal concentration has been measured in P. maeoticus, carp which were fed by amphipods and the cultured carps in earth ponds. In second phase; the adaptation of two amphipods species, P. maeoticus and Obesogammarus acuminatus was studied in fish ponds where some cages with sandy soft substrate had been provided for amphipoda replacement. Also a small surface of ponds surrounded by net and covered by Azola plant, a habitat suitable for to putting of O. acuminatus. Production of amphipoda had not the successfully results in large tanks. Aquariums with Caspian sea water had the prosper results where the specimens were breeding and developing properly, even though in some aquarium with freshwater increased the amphipods number. The chemical composition had not significant difference between two kind of cultured carps while the organic component in amphipoda had a high quality. The better quality of cultured carp by amphipod diet have been confirmed by organoleptic test. The results of heavy metal measurement in amphipoda showed a high concentration which some of them were transmitted to cultured carps. Result of amphipoda replacement in cage was not satisfy and the specimens were died after some days. According to hydro-chemical parameters the oxygen poorness and high trophy levels were the affective factor to abolish of specimens in cages. It seems that there are many type of P.maeoticus that can be adapted in different salinities. The molecular differentiation should be investigated to choose the suitable type of this spices for utilization in freshwater fish ponds. In other hand it can be used in fish culture ponds that will be supplied by brackish water.