Can commercial aquafeeds improve the nutritional value of brine shrimp? Proximal composition and lipid profile of alternative enhancers

Artemia, commonly known as brine shrimp, holds a significant role as live prey in ornamental and commercial fish aquaculture. This study addressed the nutritional deficiency in adult Artemia biomass, exploring alternative enrichers available in Brazil. Evaluating a commercial aquafeed (Polinutre Poli Camarão 400PL) and a lipid emulsion (BioViv HUFA Continum), adult Artemia were subjected to different enrichment protocols, including periods of 1, 12, and 24 hours with each enricher, as well as a test group raised 100% on the commercial feed. Protein content for Artemia exclusively fed the commercial aquafeed (CF100) reached values very similar to those provided by the main commercial products available worldwide and other commonly used live prey. Enrichment time effects were observed from 12 h onwards, showing positive impacts on protein accumulation. Lipid content peaked at 12 h, followed by a decrease at 24 h. Further studies are needed to assess whether the combination of feed-based protocols followed by 12-h lipid emulsion enrichment can surpass the current results, providing high levels of protein content while maintaining a complete lipid profile.