Effects of dietary microalgae on fatty acids and digestive enzymes in copepod Cyclopina kasignete, a potential live food for fish larvae

The copepod Cyclopina kasignete is a potential live food in aquaculture and its fatty acid components and digestive enzymes were investigated. Three dry algal products (mixed algae, Melosira sp. and Nannochloropsis oculata) and two fresh microalgae (Tisochrysis lutea and N. oculata) were fed to the copepod for 30 days. The essential fatty acids (EFA) in copepods were altered by feeding different types of dry algae. The copepod fed dry Melosira sp. or fresh T. lutea contained higher eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (ARA), protease and trypsin than fed on other algae. The copepod contained a similar fatty acid profile and digestive enzymes by feeding either dry or fresh N. oculata. Between fresh algal species, the copepod fed T. lutea contained higher EPA, DHA and ARA than that fed fresh N. oculata. The amounts of EPA and DHA in copepods were more concentrated than those in the dietary algae, suggesting that the copepod has the ability to accumulate some EFA. This study indicates that dietary algae can modify the nutritional composition and in digestive enzymes copepods, which in turn may be able to transfer suitable nutrients and digestive enzymes to fish larvae in aquaculture.