Degradation analysis of microencapsulated diet in pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus Holmberg, 1887) larvae intestine through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) - DOI: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v25i1.2088

Abstract

This research analyzed the microencapsulated diet degradation in pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) larvae intestine. The pacu larvae received the following feeding treatments: AMD- larvae fed initially Artemia nauplii for six days, followed by microencapsulated diet; C₆MD- larvae fed initially Artemia for six days, followed by six days of co-feeding and the rest of the experiment (8 days) with microencapsulated diet; C₉MD- larvae fed initially Artemia for six days, followed by nine days of co-feeding and the rest of the experiment (5 days) with microencapsulated diet. The pacu digestive tract contents were removed, processed and analyzed under scanning electronic microscopy. Diets from AMD larvae treatment showed few degradation areas, when compared to original dry diets. On the other hand, diets removed during co-feeding period showed the highest degradation areas. The results suggest a positive effect of Artemia on diet degradation.