Technical article · 2021
Steven Debono, Tania De Wolf, Jessica Teske
Natura pRo and ExL diets allow marine fish hatcheries to replace over 50% of rotifers from first feeding, improving seabream larval survival, fry quality, and cost-efficiency.
Rotifer culture represents a critical but highly variable bottleneck in marine fish hatcheries. This technical article reviews commercial-scale trials evaluating the Natura pRo and ExL dry feed line designed for early exogenous feeding and rotifer substitution in gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata). Formulated for optimal nutrient assimilation, high palatability, and particle water stability, Natura pRo achieved over 90% feeding success within 48 hours from first application. In commercial European trials, substituting more than 50% of rotifers (and up to 80% under controlled testing conditions) improved larval survival (63% vs. 60% at 56 DPH) and enhanced morphological normal rates (85% vs. 76% at 77 DPH) compared to standard protocols. Growth performance and stress robustness in salinity challenge tests were maintained or improved. By reducing rotifer demand from 19 to 6 billion per million fry, feed item costs dropped by at least 7%, providing a reliable path toward hatchery industrialization.
rotifer substitution, Sparus aurata, early weaning, larval nutrition, fry quality, larval rearing, marine hatchery
Natura pRo early microdiets enable commercial hatcheries to reduce rotifer use by 50% to 80% across multiple marine fish species while maintaining larval growth, survival, and skeletal quality.
Cofeeding with Natura™ pRo reduced rotifer consumption by 59.2% in meagre (Argyrosomus regius) larviculture while increasing survival to 34% and maintaining growth performance.
Early introduction of formulated microdiets and enriched live feeds reduced rotifer dependency by up to 69% in barramundi hatcheries while significantly improving larval survival and stress resistance.
