Effects of Selected Fatty Acids Supplementation on Growth and Fecundity in Artemia franciscana

Effects of supplementing selected fatty acids on fatty acid incorporation (17 days) , and progeny production (14 days) in Artemia franciscana (Great Salt Lake, USA) were studied. To compare with the control four diets, which differed in fatty acid composition alone contain Dunalieia tertiolecta and an emulsion either rich in OA (oleic acid, 18: 1 n-9), ARA (arachidonic acid, 20:4n-6), EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid,20:5n-3), or DHA (docosahexaenoic acid, 22:6n-3). Each of these emulsions was supplemented at a ratio of 20 % of the daily dose of D. tertiolecta (% algal dry weight). The initial OA and ARA values were 33.5 and 1.7 mg/g DW of freshly-hatched nauplii, respectively. After 11 days of feeding, these values increased to 38.8 and 7.6 mg/g DW in Artemia receiving the fatty acid sup-plement rich in each of the respective fatty acids. After 14 days, the levels were almost doubled, reaching 62.8 and 13.4 mg/g respectively. On EPA supplementation, its level after 11 days of feeding was 14.3 and 17.3 mg/g in male and female, respectively and was 16.0 and 23.1 mg/g in the male and female after 14 days, respectively. The EPA accumulated more in the body (39.1 mg/g) than in ovisac (16.9 mg/g). In the DHA supplementation group also, DHA levels after 11 days of feeding were 3.1 and 5.5 mg/g in male and female, respectively. After 14 days, the DHA level continued to increase in male. but slightly decreased to 4.6 mg/g in female. It was not richer in ovisac (2.6 mg/g) than in the remaining body of female (4.6 mg/g). In conclusion, fatty acids supplied by a lipid emulsion as a supplement to the algal diet are well incorporated in the adult Artemia. Apart from being an extra source of energy, these emulsions may function as source of HUFA which may play an essential role for growth and progeny production (fecundity) of Artemia.