Comparison of Three Artificial Diets for the Larviculture of Giant Kokopu (Galaxias argenteus)

The selection of artificial feed is critical to the success of larviculture of fin fish and requires knowledge of the varied species-specific dietary and nutritional requirements. With the emergence of commercial aquaculture of giant kokopu, Galaxias argenteus, there is a need to understand the species-specific needs for artificial feeds in larviculture. Consequently, this study compares three commercial artificial dry feeds; Otohime, Artemac and O.range on the growth of recently weaned giant kokopu. Larvae fed with Otohime outperformed both Artemac and O.range treatments by achieving the highest wet weight after 67 days, greater by at least 47% on average than both Artemac and O.range. These differences in larval performance are likely to be due to the higher protein:energy ratio and EPA content of Otohime. High DHA and ARA in the diets in absolute terms or in relation to EPA did not result in added benefit for growth performance. This study provides an important first step in identifying the nutritional needs of larval giant kokopu which can assist in improving their commercial aquaculture production.

Automated summary

The selection of artificial feed is crucial for the success of larviculture of fin fish. This study compares three commercial artificial dry feeds and finds that Otohime yields the best growth performance for giant kokopu larvae. Understanding the nutritional needs of larval giant kokopu is important for improving their commercial aquaculture production.