Ammonia Production Rates of Artemia salina Under Various Culture Conditions

Abstract

Artemia salina are used as a live food in the cultivation of several crustacea and their metabolites add to the metabolites of the cultured species. Because it is toxic, ammonia was monitored over 7 day periods while A. salina nauplii and adults were held in a variety of culture conditions. Ammonia production increased with increasing temperature between 15-25.degree. C according to the relationship NH3 + NH4+ (mg/g dry wt per day) = 0.646 (.degree. C - 10.3). Production of ammonia by nauplii was density dependent. No change in ammonia production was shown by adults with alteration of density (200-2000 A. salina /l), salinity (10-50.permill.), pH (7.0-9.0) or when fed twice daily with 50,000-100,000 cells Platymonas sp./ml. A. salina fed ad lib to cultured experimental lobsters would contribute about 46% of the total ammonia in the culture system.