African Journal of Aquatic Science 2021: 1–9
Printed in South Africa — All rights reserved
Copyright © NISC (Pty) Ltd
AFRICAN JOURNAL OF
AQUATIC SCIENCE
ISSN 1608-5914 EISSN 1727-9364
https://doi.org/10.2989/16085914.2021.1895052
African Journal of Aquatic Science is co-published by NISC (Pty) Ltd and Informa UK Limited (trading as Taylor & Francis Group)
This is the final version of the article that is published
ahead of the print and online issue
Quality evaluation of Artemia cysts from three Algerian populations
C Chabet Dis 1,3 *
, W Refes 1 , I Varó 2 , F Hontoria 2 , F Amat 2 and JC Navarro 2
1
École Nationale Supérieure des Sciences de la Mer et de l›Aménagement du Littoral (ENSSMAL), Campus Universitaire de
Dely Ibrahim Bois des Cars, Algiers, Algeria
2 Instituto de Acuicultura de Torre de la Sal (IATS-C), Castellón, Spain
3 Centre National de Recherche et de Développement de la Pêche et de l’Aquaculture (CNRDPA), Tipaza, Algeria
*Correspondence: ch.d.chalabia@gmail.com
The aim of this study was to determine the nutritional value of three populations of Artemia, one from the Bethioua
Sebkha (Oran) and two new biotopes at El Melah (Bechar) and Timimoune (Adrar), by evaluating the cyst and nauplius
biometry, hatching parameters and fatty acid profiles. This information is of relevance to aquaculture initiatives, and
fills in knowledge gaps from previous research at Algerian sites. The size of nauplii varied from 453.26 ± 0.3 µm
and 478.73 ± 0.2 µm. The chorion thickness was between 13.28 µm and 10.50 µm. The highest hatching percentage
and hatching efficiency were obtained after decapsulation of Bethioua cysts. The shortest hatching synchrony time
was also found for the Bethioua cysts. All cyst samples from the the Bethioua population analysed in this study
showed a freshwater-type fatty acid profile, rich in linolenic acid (LNA, 18:3n.3), opposed to a marine-type fatty acid
profile rich in presence of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n-3). The Bethioua population exhibited the best hatching
performance and are ideally suited for use in aquaculture.
Keywords: biometry, fatty acid, hatching, nauplii
Artemia has long been used as a food source in rearing
crustacean, marine fish and freshwater fish larvae in
aquaculture (Dhont and Sorgeloos 2002). The cysts that
are produced during its unique life cycle offer conveniences
in aquaculture, specifically they are easy to store and can
be hatched when needed, producing free-living nauplii,
which are an excellent food for newly hatched fish larvae
(Bengtson et al. 1991).
The level of essential long chain n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), especially eicosapentaenoic acid
(EPA, 20:5n-3), are the key factor for the dietary value of
different strains (Leger et al. 1986). Artemia cyst samples
are divided into two categories according to their fatty acid
profiles: freshwater-type Artemia have a high concentration
of linolenic acid (LNA, 18:3n-3) and low concentration of
eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n-3) and are only suitable
for feeding freshwater species; and, marine-type Artemia
have a higher EPA concentration and generally lower LNA
concentration and are more suited for culturing marine
species (Watanabe et al. 1978).
Artemia is, in fact, of immense economic importance in
crustacean and fish larviculture because an equivalent food
source offering the same nutrient sources and ease-of-use
has yet to be found (Bengtson et al. 1991). The increasing
demand for Artemia in a growing aquaculture industry,
which has an annual growth rate of 2.4% (FAO 2014), is
intensifying the search and evaluation of new sources
of cysts for both local and international use (Sorgeloos
et al. 2001). Many commercial Artemia products exist,
ranging from natural (e.g. in Australia, France, PR China)
to synthesised (e.g., in Brazil, Thailand), with varying
hatching rates and nutritional quality. Given this variability,
new methods for collecting and processing the cysts and
evaluating and manipulating the nutritional composition of
the nauplii were adopted (Lavens and Sorgeloos 2000).
There is strong competition in cyst products in the market
place; the current market leader is a cyst product that is
harvested efficiently and cost effectively from the Great
Salt Lake, Utah, United States (Sorgeloos et al. 2001).
Van Stappen (1996b) reported the use of Artemia nauplii in
marine aquaculture being limited by the shortage of Artemia
spp. resources, evidenced by the Artemia cyst crisis of the
Great Salt Lake of Utah, USA. The warnings by Bengtson et
al. (1991) were neglected and the poor yield from the Great
Salt Lake during the 1993 to 1995 cyst harvesting seasons
resulted in a severe cyst shortage in 1995 (Sorgeloos
and Van Stappen 1995). Sorgeloos and Leger (1992) had
already suggested exploring and developing new Artemia
resources or switching to more cost effective formulated
feeds, because cyst prices would increase.
Biological and ecological research on Artemia
populations in Algeria, locally called chotts and sebkhas,
has been performed at some 24 sites covering an area of
>5 500 km 2 (Kara and Amarouayache 2012). The research
included analysis of the fatty acid composition of Artemia
populations in Algeria (Amarouayache et al. 2009, 2012;
Ghomari 2013). Amarouayache et al. (2009) studied the
quality of the freshly-hatched Artemia nauplii of Chott
Marouane located in the north-east of the Algerian Sahara;
and, later, evaluated the quality of cysts and instar 1 nauplii
Introduction
Published online 28 Apr 2021
Printed in South Africa — All rights reserved
Copyright © NISC (Pty) Ltd
AFRICAN JOURNAL OF
AQUATIC SCIENCE
ISSN 1608-5914 EISSN 1727-9364
https://doi.org/10.2989/16085914.2021.1895052
African Journal of Aquatic Science is co-published by NISC (Pty) Ltd and Informa UK Limited (trading as Taylor & Francis Group)
This is the final version of the article that is published
ahead of the print and online issue
Quality evaluation of Artemia cysts from three Algerian populations
C Chabet Dis 1,3 *
, W Refes 1 , I Varó 2 , F Hontoria 2 , F Amat 2 and JC Navarro 2
1
École Nationale Supérieure des Sciences de la Mer et de l›Aménagement du Littoral (ENSSMAL), Campus Universitaire de
Dely Ibrahim Bois des Cars, Algiers, Algeria
2 Instituto de Acuicultura de Torre de la Sal (IATS-C), Castellón, Spain
3 Centre National de Recherche et de Développement de la Pêche et de l’Aquaculture (CNRDPA), Tipaza, Algeria
*Correspondence: ch.d.chalabia@gmail.com
The aim of this study was to determine the nutritional value of three populations of Artemia, one from the Bethioua
Sebkha (Oran) and two new biotopes at El Melah (Bechar) and Timimoune (Adrar), by evaluating the cyst and nauplius
biometry, hatching parameters and fatty acid profiles. This information is of relevance to aquaculture initiatives, and
fills in knowledge gaps from previous research at Algerian sites. The size of nauplii varied from 453.26 ± 0.3 µm
and 478.73 ± 0.2 µm. The chorion thickness was between 13.28 µm and 10.50 µm. The highest hatching percentage
and hatching efficiency were obtained after decapsulation of Bethioua cysts. The shortest hatching synchrony time
was also found for the Bethioua cysts. All cyst samples from the the Bethioua population analysed in this study
showed a freshwater-type fatty acid profile, rich in linolenic acid (LNA, 18:3n.3), opposed to a marine-type fatty acid
profile rich in presence of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n-3). The Bethioua population exhibited the best hatching
performance and are ideally suited for use in aquaculture.
Keywords: biometry, fatty acid, hatching, nauplii
Artemia has long been used as a food source in rearing
crustacean, marine fish and freshwater fish larvae in
aquaculture (Dhont and Sorgeloos 2002). The cysts that
are produced during its unique life cycle offer conveniences
in aquaculture, specifically they are easy to store and can
be hatched when needed, producing free-living nauplii,
which are an excellent food for newly hatched fish larvae
(Bengtson et al. 1991).
The level of essential long chain n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), especially eicosapentaenoic acid
(EPA, 20:5n-3), are the key factor for the dietary value of
different strains (Leger et al. 1986). Artemia cyst samples
are divided into two categories according to their fatty acid
profiles: freshwater-type Artemia have a high concentration
of linolenic acid (LNA, 18:3n-3) and low concentration of
eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n-3) and are only suitable
for feeding freshwater species; and, marine-type Artemia
have a higher EPA concentration and generally lower LNA
concentration and are more suited for culturing marine
species (Watanabe et al. 1978).
Artemia is, in fact, of immense economic importance in
crustacean and fish larviculture because an equivalent food
source offering the same nutrient sources and ease-of-use
has yet to be found (Bengtson et al. 1991). The increasing
demand for Artemia in a growing aquaculture industry,
which has an annual growth rate of 2.4% (FAO 2014), is
intensifying the search and evaluation of new sources
of cysts for both local and international use (Sorgeloos
et al. 2001). Many commercial Artemia products exist,
ranging from natural (e.g. in Australia, France, PR China)
to synthesised (e.g., in Brazil, Thailand), with varying
hatching rates and nutritional quality. Given this variability,
new methods for collecting and processing the cysts and
evaluating and manipulating the nutritional composition of
the nauplii were adopted (Lavens and Sorgeloos 2000).
There is strong competition in cyst products in the market
place; the current market leader is a cyst product that is
harvested efficiently and cost effectively from the Great
Salt Lake, Utah, United States (Sorgeloos et al. 2001).
Van Stappen (1996b) reported the use of Artemia nauplii in
marine aquaculture being limited by the shortage of Artemia
spp. resources, evidenced by the Artemia cyst crisis of the
Great Salt Lake of Utah, USA. The warnings by Bengtson et
al. (1991) were neglected and the poor yield from the Great
Salt Lake during the 1993 to 1995 cyst harvesting seasons
resulted in a severe cyst shortage in 1995 (Sorgeloos
and Van Stappen 1995). Sorgeloos and Leger (1992) had
already suggested exploring and developing new Artemia
resources or switching to more cost effective formulated
feeds, because cyst prices would increase.
Biological and ecological research on Artemia
populations in Algeria, locally called chotts and sebkhas,
has been performed at some 24 sites covering an area of
>5 500 km 2 (Kara and Amarouayache 2012). The research
included analysis of the fatty acid composition of Artemia
populations in Algeria (Amarouayache et al. 2009, 2012;
Ghomari 2013). Amarouayache et al. (2009) studied the
quality of the freshly-hatched Artemia nauplii of Chott
Marouane located in the north-east of the Algerian Sahara;
and, later, evaluated the quality of cysts and instar 1 nauplii
Introduction
Published online 28 Apr 2021