Desenvolvimento de uma nova tecnologia para cultivo de larvas de peixes à primeira alimentação

The onset of exogenous feeding is a critical developmental stage for marine fish larvae reared in aquaculture. At this point, most commercial fish species rely on live-feeds, which contain a suboptimal nutritional composition. The introduction of an inert diet nutritionally balanced normally occurs after a few weeks of larval development. This occurs because at the onset of exogenous feeding, commercial microdiets are poorly accepted, ingested and digested by fish larvae. Project FEEDFIRST is comprised by an integrated solution that aims at a successful introduction of inert microdiets at the onset of exogenous feeding of fish larvae reared in aquaculture. This solution is comprised by high-quality inert microdiets and a rearing tank that provides innovative hydraulic features. These tanks will allow a longer residence time of the diets in the water column, increasing their availability to the larvae, as well as self-cleaning properties to achieve a better sanitary condition in the rearing water. This integrated solution is presented by a consortium led by Sparos Lda, a pioneer SME for the development of novel nutritional solutions for the aquaculture market, also being composed by RIASEARCH, a novel SME with a high scientific and technological background, as well as the Instituto Superior de Economia and the Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores - Tecnologia e Ciência (INESCTEC), both public institutes that will provide a high scientific background to the project, thereby increasing its innovative concept. The Feedfirst solution will revolutionize the growth and survival performance of marine fish larvae at the onset of exogenous feeding, reducing the dependence of live-prey during this developmental stage, ultimately targeting worldwide marine fish hatcheries at a commercialization tage.Project Datasheet