Stinging catfish (Heteropneustes fossilis) is one of the commercially farmed fish in Bangladesh and it has gained rapid popularity because of its fast growth and high yields. The species is important for its nutritional and medicinal value. However, the absence of a readily available starter feed in commercial hatcheries remains a major problem in its production. Fish larvae rely on the yolk sac for its nutritional requirements during early stages of growth. Then larvae require live foods such as Artemia nauplii, yeast, unicellular algae, rotifers, copepods, cladocerans as the most appropriate starter foods because the larvae have difficulty in assimilating dry prepared diets due to their incomplete development of the digestive system (Arimoro, 2006; Olurin et al. 2012). These live foods offer an appropriate size ingestible by a wide range of larval fish species and are rich carriers of digestive enzymes (Kolkvoski, 2001). Live foods also affect the fatty acid profile of larvae (Kainz, 2004; Das, 2006; Tocher, 2010). However, information on appropriate live foods for the larviculture of stinging catfish are scarcely available.

1. 1
A Synopsis on
Fatty Acid Profiles and Growth of Stinging Catfish (Heteropneustes fossilis) Larvae Fed on Freshwater
Rotifer (Brachionus calyciflorus) and Artemia as Live Starter foods
স্বাদু পানির রটিফার (Brachionus calyciflorus) এবং আর্টে নিয়া খাওয়ার্িার ফর্ে ন ং িার্ের
(Heteropneustes fossilis) বৃনি ও ফযাটি এনিড-এর অবস্থা
Introduction
Stinging catfish (Heteropneustes fossilis)isone of the commercially farmed fish in Bangladesh and it has gained
rapid popularity because of its fast growth and high yields. The species is important for its nutritional and
medicinal value. However, the absence of a readily available starter feed in commercial hatcheries remains a
major problem in its production. Fish larvae rely on the yolk sac for its nutritional requirements during early
stages of growth. Then larvae require live foods such as Artemia nauplii, yeast, unicellular algae, rotifers,
copepods, cladocerans as the most appropriate starter foods because the larvae have difficulty in assimilating
dry prepared diets due to their incomplete development of the digestive system (Arimoro, 2006; Olurin et al.
2012). These live foods offer an appropriate size ingestible by a wide range of larval fish species and are rich
carriers of digestive enzymes (Kolkvoski, 2001). Live foods also affect the fatty acid profile of larvae (Kainz,
2004; Das,2006; Tocher, 2010). However,information on appropriate live foods for the larviculture of stinging
catfish are scarcely available.
Objectives
The present research will be conducted with the following objectives-
 To investigate the growth performance of stinging catfish fed on freshwater rotifer (B. calyciflorus) and
Artemia as live foods.
 To find out fatty acid profile of stinging catfish fed on freshwater rotifer (B. calyciflorus) and Artemia
as live foods.
Methodology
Study Area
The Live Food Culture Laboratory of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University
(BSMRAU)will be used for the culture of freshwaterrotifer(B. calyciflorus).The wetlaboratory of Department
of Aquaculture of BSMRAU will be used for larval rearing of stinging catfish.
Culture of algae (Chlorella sp.)
Chlorella sp. will be cultured to act as a source of food for B. calyciflorus. Twenty five liters size rectangular
glass tanks will be required for this culture with continuous supply of aeration.
Acquisition of B. calyciflorus
Seed of freshwter rotifers (B. calyciflorus) will be collected by selective netting with 200μ, 100μ and 50μ
zooplankton nets from ponds of BSMRAU. B. calyciflorus will be kept on Chlorella as food.
Decapsulation of Artemia cysts
Artemia cysts will be collected from a commercial source. Decapsulation of cysts will be done using standard
method. Decapsulation consists of chemically removing, in a hypochlorite solution, the shell or chorion of the
Artemia cysts and leaving only the embryo.

2. 2
Experimental Design
The experiment will be carried out under CRD with eight treatments each having three replications. Details are
shown in the following table.
Table: Experimental design of stinging catfish culture
Types of Live Feed Dose Treatments Replication
Duration
(Days)
Rotifer food
200 rotifer/larvae/day T1
3 14
300 rotifer/larvae/day T2
400 rotifer/larvae/day T3
Artemia food*
100 Artemia /larvae/day T4
150 Artemia /larvae/day T5
200 Artemia /larvae/day T6
Rotifer+Artemia food
(100 rotifer + 50 Artemia)/larvae/day T7
(200 rotifer + 100 Artemia)/larvae/day T8
*Decapsulated Artemia cysts.
Rearing of stinging catfish
Larvae of stinging catfish will be collected from a commercial hatchery. Larvae will be reared in 20 liters glass
aquaria and feeding will be done according to treatments as shown in the table above. Each aquarium will be
stocked with 400 larvae of uniform initial size. The rearing experiment will be conducted for 14 days.
Sampling
At the end of 14 days rearing period length, weight and survival of larvae will be recorded. Then larvae samples
will be collected and preserved for proximate and fatty acid analysis.
Proximate composition and fatty acid profile of stinging catfish
For fatty acid profiles, at the end of 14 days, a sub sample of 30 larvae will be randomly collected from each of
the experimental tanks of each treatment, dried with filter paper and wrapped in aluminum foil and preserved
for fatty acid analysis. Fish larvae samples will be dried in a hot air oven at a constant temperature of 600
C. The
dried samples will be used for estimation of fatty acids. Fatty acid profiles and proximate composition will be
estimated following standard methods (AOAC, 1995).
Time Frame: 1 Year (September 2016-August 2017)
Data analysis
The data obtained will be analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and DMRT.
Activities
Months of the Year
Sep
‘16
Oct
‘16
Nov
‘16
Dec
‘16
Jan
’17
Feb
‘17
Mar
‘17
Apr
‘17
May
‘17
Jun
‘17
Jul
‘17
Aug
‘17
Overall planning
Culture of algae (Chlorella sp.)
Acquisition of B. calyciflorus
Rearing of stinging catfish
Sampling
Data analysis
Reporting

3. 3
Socio-Economic Importance
Stinging catfish in Bangladesh is a popular food fish item for its taste and medicinal values and has a high
market value. In its larval stage, mortality due to lack of proper nutrition is a major problem. To avoid this
problem, intensive care and live foods are required. This culture can make people socio economically beneficial
because the sector will provide many job opportunities.
References
AOAC (Association of Official Analytical Chemists). 1995. Official Methods of Analysis, 16th
ed. AOAC,
Washington, DC.
Arimoro F. 2006. Culture of the freshwater rotifer, Brachionuscalyciflorus, and its application in fish
larviculture technology.African Journal of Biotechnology; 5(7):536-541.
Das UN. 2006. Essential fatty acids - a review.CurrentPharmaceutical Biotechnology; 7:467-482.
Kainz MJ, Arts MT, Mazumder A. 2004. Essential fatty acids in the planktonic food web and their ecological
role forhigher trophic levels. Limnology and Oceanography; 49:1784-1793.
Kolkvoski S. 2001. Digestive enzymes in fish larvae and juveniles: implications and application to formulated
diets. Aquaculture; 200:181-201.
Olurin KB, Lwuchukwu PO, Oladapo O. 2012. Laval rearing of African catfish, Clariasgariepinus fed
decapsulatedArtemia, wild copepods or commercial starter diet. African Journal of Food Science and
Technology; 3(8):182-185.
Tocher DR. 2010. Fatty acid requirements in ontogeny of marine and freshwater fish, Aquaculture Research;
41:717-732.
Imran Hossain
Researcher
MS Student
Department of Aquaculture
Bangabandhu Sheikh MujiburRahman
Agricultural University, Gazipur
imran.nagar@outlook.com
Major Professor