Use of brine shrimp, artemia spp., in larval crustacean nutrition: A Review

Brintha  et al.,        

larviculture |  shrimp Penaeus spp.        

Vol: 3; Iss: 2;  Feb-17 | ISSN: 2454-5422

The brine shrimp Artemia spp. nauplii have been adopted as a standard diet in the commercial larviculture of several crustacean species, Because of convenience in production and their suitable biochemical composition. The nutritional value of Artemia is not constant but varies both geographically and temporally. During the past decade both the causes of Artemia nutritional variability and methods to improve poor-quality Artemia have been identified. Enriching Artemia spp. with emulsified lipophilic products is a technique that has allowed delivery of extra doses of essential nutrients, for example, highly eight unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA) and vitamins, to crustacean larvae. The enrichment technique has limitations, however, because the Artemia spp. currently available selectively catabolize some of the nutrients such as docosahexaenoic acid and phospholipids. Decapsulated Artemia cysts, juveniles, and adult brine shrimp are also used increasingly as suitable diets for different crustacean species.