The effectiveness of using tropical gammarus (Hyalella azteca) as a feed additive to enhance the growth and development of juvenile kutum (Rutilus frisii kutum)

This article presents the results of a study on the cultivation of kutum (Rutilus frisii kutum) at early stages in artificial conditions using tropical gammarus (lat. Hyalella Azteca) as an additional high-protein food source. A comparative assessment of the growth and development efficiency of kutum fry Rutilus frisii kutum was carried out using different feeding schemes: the first group of kutum fry was fed only with artificial granulated compound feeds, the second group of kutum fry was fed with artificial compound feeds with the addition of live tropical gammarus (lat. Hyalella Azteca) grown in artificial conditions to the diet. Tropical gammarus (lat. Hyalella Azteca) was dded to the diet of young kutum 3 times a week. Throughout the study period (4 months), significant differences in growth and development rates were noted between the test groups. Young kutum that received a feed additive in the form of live gammarus showed higher linear mass indices compared to the group of fish whose diet did not include live gammarus. Already on the 30th day of the experiment, the average body weight of fish in the group where tropical gammarus (lat. Hyalella Azteca) was included in the diet exceeded the average body weight of kutum fry (lat. Rutilus frisii kutum) in the group of fish that were fed only compound feed by 15%. The survival rates of fry in the second group were also higher than in the first. The results of the study may be of great practical importance for the development of effective lump additives using live tropical gammarus (lat. Hyalella Azteca). It is undemanding to the conditions of maintenance, and this makes it an attractive component of the diet, including for economic purposes in the commercial cultivation of kutum (lat. Rutilus frisii kutum) in artificial conditions.