Using Vinegar Eel (Turbatrix aceti) In Studies On Early Life Stage Feeding Of Altricial Fish Larvae

International Congress On Engineering And Life Science (ICELIS), Kastamonu, Türkiye, 26 - 29 Nisan 2018, cilt.000, sa.0, ss.433

The highest losses occur in the first month of life period at larval fish culture. Feeding, diseases and

water quality problems are among the primary causes of larval mortality observed in this period. Nevertheless,

exogenic feeding stage just after the yolk sac absorbtion is crucial for mortality. It is absolutely necessary

feeding on live prey such as Artemia sp. and Brachionus plicatilis because of undeveloped digestive system and

inadequate enzyme activities of larvae in this stage. So, using live prey constitutes highest one of the cost steps

ın the commercial sense. However, using some living foods substitute artemia is quite important early life stage

feeding procedures of ornamental fish larvae both avocationally and commercially. In this study, vinegar eels

(Turbatrix aceti) that are nematoda species with easy culture conditions are used as live prey. In feeding study,

an altricial ornamental fish called zebra fish (Danio rerio) belonging to Cyprinidae family is chosen as a model

fish species. Larvae is taken from the same mature group and the same period were distributed into groups with

exactly the same physicochemical water conditions. These larvae took into 5 liters glass tank to decrease volume

for eating live prey by larvae easily. And then larvae were fed on vinegar eels beginning from 2 days after

hatching. Eels frequently added to larvae tank in such a way that existing vinegar eels in whole water column all

the time. Feeding trials have been carried on eels to be seen in stomach of larvae under the microscope. This

study aims that be an alternative for early stage feeding procedure of ornamental fishes.