Muhammad Ashraf

Development of Functional Diets for Larval Fish: Formulation of Encapsulated Diets for Larval Striped Bass (Morone Saxatilis) and Inland Silverside (Menidia Berrylina) Muhammad Ashraf

The book dicusses the various methods of culture of natural food and then their replacement with encapsulated artificial diets. Natural as well as artificial feeds were encapsulated for both striped bass and inland silverside. Artificial diets were totally casein-based while natural diet consisted of Artemia nauplii, daphnia and rotifers. The composition of artificial diet was totally based on nutritionl composition of natural food. For this purpose all the natural foods were first analyzed for their nutritional evaluation before undertaking any feed formulation. Formulated and well marumarized feed was encapsulated in sodium alginate while using CaCl2 for crosslinking and tannic acid for hardening of capsules. In addition to that role of highly unsaturated fatty acids was also investigated on growth and resistance capability of larval fish when exposed to different stressors. In addition to that role of vitamin C was also explored and final its optimum requirement was also determined for both striped bass and inland silverside.