A laboratory method for the culture of Acartia tonsa (crustacea: copepoda) using rice bran

Abstract

The calanoid copepod Acartia tonsa was cultured in rectangular tanks filled with 170L of natural sea water. Rice bran added to the culture water provided all the nutrient enrichment necessary to raise A. tonsa throughout its life cycle, thus eliminating the need for separately cultured phytoplankton. Four, month-long preliminary experiments produced maximum densities of copepodid stages including adults that ranged from 170 to 1,520 per L (x=679 per L). The time required to reach maximum density ranged from 6 to 33 days for nauplii and from 12 to 27 days for copepodid stages. The results are preliminary in nature but indicate future potential of this technique as a simple, inexpensive method for the mass culture of copepods.