Mass production of Rotifers (Branchionus calyciflorus) in outdoor culture system for Aquariculture

Mangesh M. Bhosale, S. Felix, Mahadevi and Cheryl Antony
Fisheries College & Research Institute, TNFU, Ponneri (TN) 601 204

In the present study, mass production of freshwater rotifer, Branchionus calyciflorus, using Chlorella vulgaris food type was investigated. C. vulgaris stock was inoculated using agar plating method while egg bearing rotifer stock was prepared using pipetting method from wild and allowed to grow in 1L capacity plastic bottles fed with Baker's yeast for 5 days. Outdoor cement cistern tanks (1000L capacity) were fertilized using ground nut oil cake (250g), urea (10g) and single super phosphate (5g) and C. vulgaris was inoculated on the same day. Cultured C. vulgaris was exclusively used to feed rotifers at the intervals of 2x and 3x per day in continuous culture method. The highest population growth was attained with 3x feeding interval of Chlorella sp. (80-100 individuals/ml), followed by 2x (60-80 individuals/ml). The least population growth of B. calyciflorus was recorded in control (15-20 individuals/ml) where no feeding was done. The highest cell density of C. vulgaris was observed on 5th day onwards which is continued upto 15th day of culture and then again the fertilizers were added for culture continuation. The peak population growth was attained on day of 5 for Chlorella vulgaris (50000 cells/ml) and on 8 for Rotifers (130 individuals/ml). This study indicated that the quantity and quality of food have significant role on mass production of rotifer in ornamental fish culture.

Key words: Rotifers, Mass production, Live feed, Continuous culture