Ciliate (Euplotes sp.) predation by Pseudodiaptomus annandalei (Copepoda: Calanoida) and the effects of mono-algal and pluri-algal diets

Background Pseudodiaptomus annandalei is an estuarine species and being cultured as live feed for grouper fish larvae and other planktivores. We examined the predation behavior of P. annandalei adults when preying on ciliated protists (Euplotes sp.) and the effects of mono- and pluri-algal diets on ciliate predation by P. annandalei under laboratory conditions. The algal food comprised the pigmented flagellate Isochrysis galbana (4 ~ 5 μm) and Tetraselmis chui (17 ~ 20 μm).