In Virginia and throughout the United States, freshwater and saltwater finfish and shrimp aquaculture is expanding rapidly. During the cultivation of most marine finfish and shrimp species – as well as some freshwater species – live feeds are an essential component during the larviculture stage. During larviculture, the rotifer is the most commonly used live feed upon transition of the larvae from endogenous (internal energy reserves) to exogenous (external) feeding. Upon completion of the rotifer stage, the most commonly used live feed prior to conversion of the larva to a dry diet is Artemia.

All other things being equal, clear water ponds can produce many more fish than muddy ponds. Muddy water reduces fish food availability, and interferes with the ability of fish to see and catch prey. Muddy waters favor blue-green algae and bacterial growth, which can impart a bad flavor to drinking water and food fish. Green water is usually the result of algae, which is another type of problem with a different solution than that discussed here. It is a sad irony that the same soil that is vital for agricultural production on land becomes a major pollutant when suspended in water.

Processors in the state of Virginia that cook whole crabs and pick the meat for sale must be certified by Virginia Department of Health/Division of Shellfish Sanitation (DSS). They also are required to develop and implement a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan as part of the seafood HACCP regulation.

Marine finfish production is a rapidly expanding field, both in research and industrial aquaculture. A driving force behind this growth is the inherently high value placed upon marine finfish products in the marketplace. 

Live feeds are an integral component in the cultivation of most marine finfish species during larval stages. The first live feed that has demonstrated acceptability for most marine species, and which can typically be raised on a commercial scale, is the rotifer Brachionous spp. While approximately two thousand species of rotifers have been identified, most culturists rely upon the marine rotifers Brachionus plicatilis (L-strain) with a size range of 200 to 360 μm and B. rotundiformis (s-strain) with a size range of 150 to 220 μm (see figure 1). Rotifers are favored due to their size, their ability to be raised in mass cultures, and the fact that their nutrient composition can be quickly improved through the use of specialized enrichment diets.