Culture of fish food organisms

Unit 2 - Rotifers

2.3.1.Strain differences
Rotifer life history and population dynamics are the driving factors of culture success. Successful mass culture of the marine rotifers Brachionus plicatilis (former L-type) and B. rotundiformis (former S-type) is one of the milestones of marine fish culture. B.plicatilis was first identified as a pest in the pond culture of eels but soon the researchers realized that it could be used suitably as live food.

There are two different strains of Brachionus based on lorical length,

	Brachionus plicatilis (S type)	Brachionus plicatilis (Ltype)
Lorica length	100-210 (160 µm)	130-340 (239 µm)
Spines	Points	Angled
Growth temperature (Optimal)*	28-35 oC	18-25 oC