Hatching and survival performance of Artemia fransciscana under different salinities

Abstract

Artemia (brine shrimp) is a suitable food source for a variety of aquatic animal species at all stages of their life cycle. Nauplii, specifically, are crucial for shrimp larviculture in aquaculture systems. During the hatchery phase, to ensure high hatching synchrony and maximize the yield of nauplii, it is important to consider the effects of environmental factors such as salinity. To determine the effect of salinity on the % hatching and survival of Artemia fransciscana, experiments were conducted with salinities ranging from 5-40 ppt. The results of the experiments showed that the highest hatching rate of 67.00% ± 1.15 was observed at 35 ppt salinity, while the lowest was found at 5 ppt salinity (33.04% ± 4.53). Similarly, the highest survival rate of 61.33% ± 2.33 was recorded at 35 ppt salinity, and the lowest was recorded at 5 ppt, 27.97% ± 1.47. These findings suggest that to achieve optimal hatching rates, maintaining a salinity level of 30-40 ppt is essential.