Effect of microalgal diets on filtration and ingestion rates of the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis

Effect of marine microalgal diet on filtration and ingestion rates of Brachionus plicatilis was studied. Marine microalgae viz., Nannochloropsis oculata, Isochrysis galbana, Chaetoceros calcitrans and a combination of N. oculata and I. galbana (Nanno+Iso) at different cell concentrations were selected for the experiment and triplicates were maintained for each feed. Significant difference (p<0.05) was observed in the filtration and ingestion rates of B. plicatilis, between the treatments. Peak filtration rate of 12.2x10-5 cells ml-1 ind-1 min-1 was recorded in B. plicatilis fed with Nanno+Iso, followed by I. galbana. Ingestion rate was found to be significantly high (p<0.05) for those fed with C. calcitrans, followed by Nanno+Iso. Filtration rate was significantly high (p<0.05) in rotifers stocked at an initial density of 50 nos. ml-1 fed with Nanno+Iso. The results indicated that a combination of Nanno and Iso is the best suitable microalgal diet for rotifer with peak filtration (12.2x10-5cells ml-1 ind-1 min-1) and ingestion (5.4x10-3 cells ml-1 ind-1 min-1) rates during the first 60 min.