Abstract

Different feeding methods were tested for burbot, Lota lota, larvae. In small scale experiments with 300 larvae per treatment grinded artemia flakes, enriched artemia flakes, artemia flakes supplemented with dried algae (Chlorella sp., Spirulina sp.) and formulated microdiets consisting of different combinations of fishmeal, fish oil, soybean lecithin, casein, dextran, and artemia flakes were fed over a period of 30 days. These foods were compared to live zooplankton food collected from the nature. After 30 days, only feeding with live zooplankton resulted in high survival rates > 80%. No survival was observed with artificial microdiets. The 15 d survival of larvae was significantly lowest with agar agar bound microparticles and with formulated diets containing > 7% soya lecithin and > 3 % fish oil. The live zooplankton feeding method was also tested in a large scale experiment with 25,000 larvae per tank for a period of 100 d. After 100 d the larvae survival rate was > 65 %, and the body length had increased for circa 6-fold.

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