Larvae Macronutrients

Offentlig prosjektsammendrag

Direct investigations on the optimal composition of macronutrients for fish larvae are complicated when using live feed due to the feed organism’s own metabolism and nutrient composition. Very little work has been done to determine the optimal composition of macronutrients for marine fish larvae from start-feeding. The optimal composition will be dependent on the form in which the nutrients are given. Our microdiet is an agglomerated feed, that can deliver nutrients to fish larvae from start-feeding. Copepods are the main feed for wild fish larvae, and it can be assumed that they will cover the larval nutrient requirements. Copepods are very rich in protein (500-640 mg/g DM), n-3 fatty acids, polar lipids, certain vitamins and microminerals. However, it is possible that the actual requirements of the larvae are less or even much lower than what they get through their natural feed. The main objective of this project is to investigate the optimal protein, lipid and carbohydrate content by mixture design for European sea bass larvae.