Effects of n۳-HUFA enriched Daphnia magna on growth, survival, stress resistance, and fatty acid composition of larvae of Persian sturgeon (Acipenser persicus)

Effects of Daphnia magna enriched with cod liver oil (CLO) as a source of highly unsaturated fatty acid (HUFA) on growth, survival, stress resistance, and fatty acid composition of the Persian sturgeon larvae were evaluated. Daphnia enriched for three different time periods (۳, ۶, and ۹ hours) and non-enriched Daphnia were fed to the Persian sturgeon larvae (average weight ۶۱.۶±۰.۴mg) during ۱۴ days. The highest n۳-HUFA content was found in Daphnia enriched for ۹ hours (۰.۶۹mg g-۱ DW) and the highest n۳-HUFA content of the larvae was also found in those larvae fed with Daphnia enriched for ۹ hours (۲.۳۹mg/g-۱DW). A significant growth difference between larvae fed with enriched and non-enriched Daphnia was observed (p<۰.۰۵), while survival rate did not significantly differ among the treatments (p>۰.۰۵). Furthermore, the highest pH stress resistance was found in those larvae fed with Daphnia enriched for ۹ and ۶ hours (p<۰.۰۵). A salinity stress test did not show significant differences among the treatments.