Article title:
Feeding corals in captivity: uptake of four Artemia- based feeds by Galaxea fascicularis
Authors:
Ronald Osinga, Fam Charko, Catarina Cruzeiro, Johan A.J. A.J. Verreth
(PDF Download Available)
This study evaluates the capture efficiency of the scleractinian coral Galaxea fascicularis for four Artemia-based feeds: (1) live, non-enriched Artemia nauplii; (2) Instant Baby Brine Shrimp (IBBS, pasteurized Artemia nauplii); (3) live, SELCO-enriched Artemia nauplii, and (4) live Artemia nauplii enriched with SELCO that was supplemented with the antibiotics Sulfamethoxazole and Trimethoprim. All prey types were rapidly consumed by the corals (6-11 nauplii per polyp per hour), showing that (I), IBBS can be a cost-effective alternative to feeding freshly hatched nauplii, and (II), corals can be provided with specific additives via their food. The corals preferred live Artemia over IBBS, indicating that IBBS can be further optimised for use in coral reef aquaria. SELCO-enriched Artemia and medicated Artemia were also consumed at lower rates (40% and 30% lower, respectively) than non-enriched Artemia.
General interest! This applies to us so directly it’s almost not worth commenting!
Ocean Nutrition sells instant baby brine shrimp and I have used them before. I’m going to get more for backups in between hatches of live!
Reef Success 