Optimizing Culture Protocols for <i>Cyclops</i> sp.: Innovations in Density, Feed Composition and Dietary Strategies for Freshwater Aquaculture

ABSTRACT Developing optimized feeding strategies for copepods is essential in contemporary aquaculture, as they serve as a highly nutritious live feed for numerous aquatic organisms. Three experiments were conducted to enhance the development and reproductive success of the copepod, Cyclops sp., to support sustainable aquaculture practices. The first experiment examined the effect of different initial stocking densities of Cyclops sp. (250 (CD250), 500 (CD500), 1000 (CD1000), 3000 (CD3000) and 6000 (CD6000) indv. L −1 ) on the final growth where CD1000 supported the most favourable growth compared to CD6000 and CD500 ( p = 0.008 for all comparisons) as well as CD3000 and CD250 ( p &lt; 0.001 for all comparisons). The second experiment evaluated the population responses of the Cyclops sp. to varying concentrations of Chlorococcum sp. (1 × 10 5 (AC1), 3 × 10 5 (AC3), 5 × 10 5 (AC5), 7 × 10 5 (AC7) and 9 × 10 5 (AC9) cells mL −1 ). The highest density of the Cyclops sp. was observed at AC5 than other concentrations ( p &lt; 0.01 for all comparisons). The third experiment investigated the influence of different dietary regimes (live Chlorococcum sp. (Alg), live Chlorococcum sp. + commercial yeast ( Saccharomyces cerevisiae ) (Alg + Y) and only commercial yeast (Y)). The significantly highest copepod density was achieved with the supplementation of the Alg + Y diet than others ( p &lt; 0.01). These results suggest that optimizing initial stocking densities and using relatively high concentrations of Chlorococcum sp. can effectively promote the growth and abundance of Cyclops sp. Furthermore, incorporating Chlorococcum sp. into the feeding regimens, either alone or in combination with other diets, improves the copepod growth and reproduction, providing valuable insights for optimizing aquaculture practices.