Effect of Different Diets on Growth and Survival Rates of Snakehead (Channa striata Bloch, 1797) Larvae

A study was conducted to determine growth and survival rates of snakehead (Channa striata) larvae. Live foods such as Artemia salina nauplii, Moina micrura and bloodworm and artificial diet were given to larvae from 1-15 days after hatching as the 1st phase and from 15-30 days as the 2nd phase. In the 1st phase, the growth and survival rates of larvae fed with Artemia nauplii were significantly different from larvae fed with Moina (p < 0.05) with values of 28.5 mg, 49% and 26.7 mg, 31%, respectively. Meanwhile, all larvae fed with bloodworm (Chironomus sp.) or artificial diet (49% protein) died within 10 days of experiment. For the 2nd phase, growth of the fry fed with Artemia or Moina differed significantly from that fed with bloodworm or pellet (200.1, 187.7, 109.6 and 8.2 mg, respectively). Specific growth rate (SGR) of larvae fed with Moina was higher than that of larvae fed with Artemia (17.9 and 17.4% day$^{-1}$, respectively) in the 1st phase. In the 2nd phase, SGRs of larvae fed with Artemia (12.7% day$^{-1}$) or Moina (11.5% day$^{-1}$) were significantly higher than those of larvae fed with bloodworm (8.3% day$^{-1}$) or dry diet (6.1% day$^{-1}$). Generally, Artemia and Moina were suitable food for snakehead larvae during the first month of their life, and artificial diet was much less acceptable and resulted in poor growth and survival.