ANALYSIS OF THE CONCENTRATIONS OF ZOOPLANKTON ORGANISMS IN THE PONDS OF THE STATE ENTERPRISE “EXPERIMENTAL FISH FARM “NYVKA” OF THE INSTITUTE OF FISHERIES OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF AGRARIAN SCIENCES OF UKRAINE, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE POSSIBILITY OF REARING OF JUVENILES OF THE LARGEMOUTH BASS (MICROPTERUS SALMOIDES)
Volodymyr Gushchin and Oleksii Polishchuk
Volodymyr Gushchin: The State Agency of Melioration and Fisheries of Ukraine, 45а, Sichovih Striltsiv St., Kyiv, Kyiv region, Ukraine, 04053
Oleksii Polishchuk: The Institute of Fisheries of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences, 135, Obukhivska St., Kyiv, Kyiv region, Ukraine, 03164
ABSTRACT
The period from the largemouth bass larvae hatching to the moment, when fry reaching the size of 25-35 mm, can be attributed to the most critical in the aquaculture of this species. Unlike many other fish species, after switching to external feeding, largemouth bass larvae cannot immediately consume artificial pellets, therefore, the presence of groups of zooplankton organisms of different sizes in rearing ponds is a prerequisite for obtaining a sufficient number of fry and their rapid growth. Besides, a sufficient food base at the initial stages of growing of the largemouth bass fingerlings helps to reduce the degree of cannibalism among fish and increase fish productivity in the future. This article will consider the features of different feeding stages of the largemouth bass fry, the necessary concentrations of zooplankton organisms in the ponds of fish farms during its cultivation, generally accepted world methods of applying mineral and organic fertilizers to stimulate the natural food supply, as well as the results of a study, aimed to make an identification of the average indicators of the development of zooplankton in the ponds of the State enterprise «Experimental Fish Farm «Nyvka» of the Institute of Fisheries of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine in terms of the possibility of growing of this species in aquaculture reservoirs at the initial stages.
Keywords: Largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides, zooplankton, phytoplankton, aquaculture, cladocerans, copepods, rotifers