Culture of Chironomid larvae using two different feeds

Abstract

Rearing of chironomid larvae was conducted under laboratory conditions, to study the effect of two different feed (Yeast and Scenedesmus) on the growth rate (weight & length) and hemoglobin content of chironomid larvae. The lengths of Chironomid larvae were measured weekly with the help of a calibrated microscope and the weight was determined using a sensitive weighing balance (SE2 Ultra-microbalance). The hemoglobin concentration was determined using cyano-methemoglobin method according to Van Kampen and Zijlstra (1961) and Tentori and Salvati (1981). Larvae had mean initial length 2.3mm and mean weight 2.0µg. Larvae fed with yeast showed final mean length of 3.75±0.17mm and weight of 4.36±o.21µg, while those fed with scenedesmus showed final mean length of 3.16±0.17mm and weight of 4.09±0.11µg. The hemoglobin count of chironomids fed with yeast was 0.684µgHbmg^-1 while that of the larvae fed scenedesmus was 0.649µgHbmg^-1. Mortality of 5 chironomids was observed in the yeast setup against 8 observed in the setup with scenedesmus, while 41 burrowed chironomids was observed in the scenedesmus setup against 25 observed in the yeast setup. ANOVA reveals significant difference in the effect of both feeds on the growth rate of the chironomid larvae (P<0.05). The results among others at the end of the exposure demonstrated that yeast is more suitable for chironomid culture than scenedesmus. This work therefore revealed the suitability of yeast in chironomid culture over scenedesmus.

Keywords: culture, Chironomid, larvae, yeast, Scenedesmus, hemoglobin