Critical feeding window: Influence of delayed Artemia nauplii provision on Pyrrhulina brevis larviculture

Authors

  • Leonnan Carlos Carvalho de Oliveira Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná – Programa de Pós-Graduação em Recursos Pesqueiros e Engenharia de Pesca – Toledo (PR), Brazil. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7551-6528
  • Edileno Tiago de Sousa Nascimento Universidade Federal do Pará – Instituto de Estudos Costeiros – Faculdade de Engenharia de Pesca – Bragança (PA), Brazil. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4513-7946
  • Ana Cristina Araújo e Silva Universidade Federal do Pará – Instituto de Estudos Costeiros – Faculdade de Engenharia de Pesca – Bragança (PA), Brazil. https://orcid.org/0009-0009-1492-2341
  • Bianca Gomes da Silveira Universidade Federal do Pará – Instituto de Estudos Costeiros – Faculdade de Engenharia de Pesca – Bragança (PA), Brazil. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5372-7180
  • Alessandra Aparecida de Sousa Almeida Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná – Programa de Pós-Graduação em Recursos Pesqueiros e Engenharia de Pesca – Toledo (PR), Brazil. https://orcid.org/0009-0007-2544-0925
  • Silmara Silvia Ribeiro Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná – Programa de Pós-Graduação em Recursos Pesqueiros e Engenharia de Pesca – Toledo (PR), Brazil. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4155-0231
  • Bruno José Corecha Fernandes Eiras Universidade Federal do Pará – Instituto de Estudos Costeiros – Faculdade de Engenharia de Pesca – Bragança (PA), Brazil. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9165-3829
  • Lorena Batista de Moura Universidade Federal do Pará – Instituto de Estudos Costeiros – Faculdade de Engenharia de Pesca – Bragança (PA), Brazil. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9225-6390
  • Daniel Abreu Vasconcelos Campelo Universidade Federal do Pará – Instituto de Estudos Costeiros – Faculdade de Engenharia de Pesca – Bragança (PA), Brazil. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9204-3566
  • Altevir Signor Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná – Programa de Pós-Graduação em Recursos Pesqueiros e Engenharia de Pesca – Toledo (PR), Brazil. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4659-6466

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.20950/1678-2305/bip.2026.52.e940

Keywords:

Live prey, Ornamental fish farming, Point-of-no-return, Fasting

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of delayed Artemia nauplii introduction on the larviculture of the Amazonian ornamental fish Pyrrhulina brevis. A completely randomized design with four treatments and four replicates was implemented. Larvae were subjected to varying delays in Artemia nauplii supply: 0 (no delay), 2, 4, and 6 days and were subsequently fed until the end of the 20-day experimental period. Growth performance, point-of-no-return (PNR), and intestinal and muscular histomorphometry were assessed at the end of the experiment. No differences in length, weight, or uniformity were observed between larvae with no delay and those with a 2-day delay in Artemia nauplii supply (p>0.05). However, total mortality occurred in larvae exposed to delays of 4 days or longer by the fifth day of experiment. Larvae without delay exhibited a survival rate of 86.25%, significantly higher than the 20% survival rate in those subjected to a 2-day delay (p<0.05). The PNR for P. brevis larvae was determined to be 2.69 days (9.69 days post-hatching). No differences were observed in intestinal or muscle histomorphometry among treatments (p>0.05). These findings highlight that delaying Artemia nauplii supply critically reduces the survival of P. brevis larvae, potentially compromising the viability of larviculture production.

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Published

2026-05-01

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Vol. 52 (2026): BOLETIM DO INSTITUTO DE PESCA

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Scientific Article

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Copyright (c) 2026 Leonnan Carlos Carvalho de Oliveira, Edileno Tiago de Sousa Nascimento, Ana Cristina Araújo e Silva, Bianca Gomes da Silveira, Alessandra Aparecida de Sousa Almeida, Silmara Silvia Ribeiro, Bruno José Corecha Fernandes Eiras, Lorena Batista de Moura, Daniel Abreu Vasconcelos Campelo, Altevir Signor

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