MASS CULTURE AND GROWTH RESPONSE OF ROTIFER (Brachionus calyciflorus) FED DIFFERENT COMBINATIONS OF MANURE FILTRATES AND ALGAE

Abstract

The investigation of the effectiveness of algae and various combinations of manure filtrates on some growth characteristics and population densities of Brachionus calyciflorus was undertaken in order to ascertain their various potencies. Laboratory reared rotifer, B. calyciflorus, was fed with mixed populations of algae 4.00 ml day-1 at a density of 1.6 x 106 cells L-1 and eight different types of filtrate of manure combinations comprising of cow dung, chicken droppings, groundnut cake, soyabean cake, rice bran and single super phosphate (3CM1,3CM2, 3CM3, 3CM4, 4CM1, 4CM2, 4CM3 & 4CM4, respectively) were combined in 1.00 ml/L, 2.00 ml/L, 4.00 ml/L, 8.00 ml/L and 16.00ml/L concentrations. The population densities were determined at 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 days, respectively. Manure filtrates 4CM1 and 4CM2 at concentrations of 4.00 ml L-1 produced the highest population density of rotifer of 217 and 209 inds. ml-1, respectively at day 5. Overall, the four different manure combinations filtrates supported better population density increase of B. calyciflorus than did the three different manure combination filtrates. However, concentrations less than 2.00ml/L and more than 8.00ml/L may not support a high population density of B. calyciflorus. In the light of the above, hatcheries, fish farmers and researchers are advised to use a concentration of 4.00ml/L to obtain a high population density of B. calyciflorus