Efficacy of Apocyclops royi (Cyclopoida, Copepoda) Nauplii as Live Prey for the First Feeding Larvae of Silver Pompano, Trachinotus blochii (Lacepède, 1801)

In the rearing of first exogenous feeding, marine finfish larvae availability live prey with suitable size and nutritive content is vital for their growth survival. Copepods represent an important alternative food to present traditional feed organisms used in fish hatcheries. Use copepods known improve survival, growth, development larvae. The silver pompano, Trachinotus blochii (Lacepède, 1801) one candidate species aquaculture due its fast good meat quality high market demand. study aimed investigate efficacy Apocyclops royi nauplii feeding T. blochii. experiments were conducted from 3 7 Day Post Hatch (DPH) using A. Brachionus plicatilis (s type) diets. Higher was evident than that rotifer diet. fed experimental group showed significantly different length (p <0.05) compared specific rate recorded 29.42% 24.28% rotifers groups, respectively. On DPH, higher mortality group. With produced pigmentation which gradually started on head dorsal surface body DPH onwards spread all over became intense as grew DPH. Our results suggest are during initial phase better pigmentation.