Micro worm, culture method and its application in ornamental larviculture

In the culture of freshwater and saltwater aquatic species, feeding is one of the most challenging stages. During this period of life, larvae are very sensitive and many of them need special food to meet their needs, if the food does not meet the needs of larvae in terms of nutrient composition and physical characteristics such as size and shape, the survival and growth of the larvae will be seriously endangered. For many years, nauplii of the brine shrimp has been the main live food with the mentioned characteristics, so the larval rearing of many species depends on it. But the high cost and labor required to produce it is a disadvantage of Artemia nauplii. Therefore, replacing it with other live foods can eliminate the limitations of larval rearing and also be economical. One of the most promising options for replacing Artemia nauplii is nematodes, especially micro worms. This worm can be grown easily and with the simplest tools and nutrients available and due to its small size, it can be used for many species of fresh and saltwater aquatic animals. It can also be purposefully enriched according to the needs of a particular species. Another advantage is the need for less labor than the production of other types of live food. In this paper, the biology, cultivation method, harvest, usage, culture media, nutritional value and enrichment of micro worm are presented.