Assessment of Calcium Carbonate as Minerals for The Growth Of The Marine Copepod Acartia Bilobata As Live Feed For Fish Larviculture

Abstract

Aquaculture industries are evolving rapidly to meet the escalating global demand for seafood as the human population grows. Enhancing the nutritional quality of feed for aquatic animals, such as fish larvae, is critical for increasing seafood production sustainably. Live feed, particularly copepods (crustacean zooplankton), has emerged as a preferred alternative to conventional synthetic feeds due to its potential to support sustainable aquaculture practices. This study investigates the effects of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) supplementation on the growth and survival of the calanoid copepod Acartia bilobata, intended as live feed for fish larviculture. Copepods were cultured under various CaCO3 concentrations: 0 mg/L (control), 0.5 mg/L, 2 mg/L, 4 mg/L, and 8 mg/L. The study evaluated total population dynamics, including growth stages and adult sex ratios, average growth duration, and survival rates across different CaCO3 concentrations. Results indicate that a CaCO3 concentration of 4 mg/L yielded higher copepod populations and improved survival rates, suggesting its potential for enhancing marine copepod production in aquaculture.