Effect of vitamin E and highly unsaturated fatty acid-enriched Artemia urmiana on growth performance, survival and stress resistance of Beluga (Huso huso) larvae

A 44-day rearing trial was conducted to examine the enrichment of Artemia urmiana nauplii with vitamin E and highly unsaturated fatty acid (HUFA) and its effects on the growth performance, survival and stress resistance of great sturgeon, Huso huso, larvae. Cod liver oil (EPA 18%, and DHA 12%) and alpha-tocopherol acetate were used as lipid and vitamin E sources. Beluga larvae at the first exogenous feeding with 69 +/- 5.9 mg body weight were randomly distributed into four treatments and three tanks were assigned to each diet. The test treatments were as follows: larvae fed with HUFA+20% and HUFA+50%,, (w/w) vitamin E-enriched Artemia nauplii (El and E2 groups, respectively), HUFA without vitamin E (HUFA group) and non-enriched Artemia (control group). All treatments fed non-enriched Artemia for the initial 5 days after first feeding and then fed enriched Artemia for 7 days. After the period of enrichment, larvae were fed with daphnia from the 13th to the 40th day At day 40, submersion in salt water (6 ppt for 4 days and 12 ppt for 2 days) and warm water (33 degrees C for 2 days) was performed to evaluate larvae resistance to salinity and temperature stress. Final weight, daily growth rate, specific growth rate and weight gain were higher in beluga fed with enriched Artemia. The highest growth rates were observed in El, whereas survival was not significantly different between groups. Use of vitamin E and HUEA significantly increased fish resistance to a salinity of 12 ppt and the lowest stress resistance was observed in the control 1286 group. Stress tolerance was not significantly different at 6 ppt and 33 degrees C between groups. There was no comparable difference in the haematocrit index under stress conditions. These results indicated that the enrichment of Artemia with essential fatty acids and vitamin E can affect some growth and stress tolerance factors in great sturgeon, Huso huso larvae.