Strain-specific vital rates in four Acartia tonsa cultures II: Life history traits and biochemical contents of eggs and adults

The need of copepods as live feed is increasing in aquaculture because of the limitations of traditionally used preys, and this increases the demand for an easy and sustainable large-scale production of copepods. In this study, 4 strains of the copepod Acartia tonsa Dana, 1849 were compared in a common garden experiment to identify a strain with life history traits essential for sustainable mass cultivation of copepods and to identify a strain which produces preys with a highly valuable chemical composition.

The strains originated from 4 coastal sites in Øresund, Denmark (DIFRES), Kiel, Germany (KIEL), Turkey Point, Florida, USA, and Mobile Bay, Alabama, USA. Stage development and mortality were analysed at 17 °C, 34 ppt. When the copepods reached adulthood, individual females were isolated to determine the egg production and hatching success.

The biochemical contents of both eggs and adults were evaluated for all strains. The DIFRES and Alabama strains had both shorter generation time (13.7 and 14.6 d−1, respectively) and lower mortality (4.0 and 5.7% d−1, respectively) than other strains, making them attractive for mass cultivation. Strain-specific patterns were observed in egg production, with highest productivity observed in the DIFRES strain.

Hatching success of the eggs ranged from 47.3 to 83.6% in the DIFRES, Kiel and Alabama strains, but showed reduced hatching in the Florida strain (1.6 to 7.2%). The strains had similar total free amino acids (FAA) content in the eggs in comparison to their dry weight (6–8%). In general, the FAA pattern of the eggs was dominated by Proline, while the females had a more diffuse FAA pattern.

The fatty acid ratio between DHA and EPA in the eggs was lowest for the Florida strain (0.82) and highest in the Alabama strain (1.48), and adults had even higher ratios (2.1 to 2.45). Apart from the low DHA/EPA ratio in the Florida eggs, we find that all the strains met nutritional values needed for the first feeding of marine finfish larvae.

However, essential criteria for mass cultivation such as fast development, low mortality and high egg production led us to recommend the use of the DIFRES strain of A. tonsa under the present growth conditions. A study to optimize the copepod cultivation to meet industry's criteria should include deliberate selection pressure on copepod to promote the needed traits for first feeding of finfish larvae.