Effects of ICES۳۰/۴-enriched Artemia urmiana nauplii on growth, survival, salinity tolerance and fatty acid composition of Acipenser persicus larvae

Effects of Artemia urmiana enriched with ICES۳۰/۴ as a commercial emulsion of highly unsaturated fatty acid (HUFA) on growth, survival, salinity tolerance and fatty acid composition of the Persian sturgeon larvae were evaluated. Artemia enriched for two different time periods (۱۲ and ۲۴ hours) and non-enriched artemia were fed to A. persicus larvae (average initial wet weight ۴۶.۸۰± ۲.۰۳mg) during ۲۰ days. The n۳-HUFA content ranged from ۰.۸۲±۰.۰۸ mg /g DW in non-enriched artemia to ۷.۶۹±۰.۲ mg/g DW in enriched artemia during ۲۴ h with ICES۳۰/۴ and ranged from ۳.۲۰±۰.۳۰ mg/g DW in sturgeon fish larvae fed with non-enriched artemia to ۵.۹۸±۰.۴۳ mg/g DW in fish larvae fed with ۲۴ h-artemia enriched with ICES۳۰/۴ after ۲۰ days. The n۳-HUFA content significantly increased compared to ۱۲ h enrichment period both in artemia and sturgeons fed with these artemia (p<۰.۰۵). A significant increase in survival percentages and salinity tolerance were observed between fish larvae fed with enriched and non-enriched artemia (p<۰.۰۵), while growth rate did not significantly differ among the treatments (p>۰.۰۵).