Effect of Light, Temperature and salinity on the growth of ARTEMIA

ARTEMIA is commonly known as the brine shrimp. It is a crustacean. It lives high saline waters. It is widely distributed throughout the world; it is the most important live feed organism. ARTEMIA lives in high saline environment where its predators cannot survive. Hence ARTEMIA can be effectively cultured in saline water. Such water bodies are found in solar saltpans, which occur all along Indian coast. More than 85% of the marine animals cultivated thus far have been offered ARTEMIA saline as food source, either together with other foods or more often as a sole diet. In most cases brine shrimp are used as freshly hatched nauplii, although out grown ARTEMIA larva are reported to be a better food than nauplli for many predators (Kelly.et.al 1977). During the last years we have had the opportunity to study in detailed the effect of various a biotic parameters on the hatcheing process. Effect of water temperature on the hatching metabolism of ARTEMIA cysts are attained around 30 0 c. Lower salinities the hatching at low salinity is the P H of the medium. From this study it appears that for most parameters studied. Considerable variability exists. Between ARTEMIA strains these initial data already provide pertinent information for the selection and practical use of brine shrimp nauplii in aquaculture.