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Email the author (Login required) The coloration of Neocaridina davidi (Bouvier, 1904) (Caridea, Atydae) fed with live microalgae Haematococcus pluvialis and the cyanobacteria Spirulina (Arthrospira) platensis
Submited: 2022-10-20 16:48:54 | Published: 2024-04-30 21:22:55
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3856/vol52-issue2-fulltext-3000
Abstract
Haematococcus pluvialis synthesizes and accumulates astaxanthins, while Spirulina (Arthrospira) platensis produces phycocyanins. The ornamental shrimp Neocaridina davidi is commercially important for its variety and intensity of coloration. We evaluate the effect on the coloration of N. davidi by consuming H. pluvialis and S. platensis as a food supplement to preserve their nutritional quality. H. pluvialis was subjected to stress to obtain aplanospores with astaxanthin. Live microalgae were included in gelled spheres to provide them as a supplement to three-day-old N. davidi juveniles with different phenotypes: wild (NdW), red (NdR), and blue (NdB). The experiment involved the commercial food supply and spheres with or without microalgae for 31 days. Chromatophores present in the uropod of each phenotype were examined, their number and expansion estimated, and the area covered by optical density (OD). Results show that H. pluvialis reached a greater astaxanthin accumulation on day 30. The coloration of the NdR and NdB phenotypes improved by consuming microalgae, increasing the OD in the uropod. NdB phenotype showed better coloration when consuming S. platensis (56.2%), while the NdR phenotype was more favored when consuming H. pluvialis (74.2%). The chromatophores expanded their area by doubling in the NdR and NdB phenotypes, where H. pluvialis increased its intensity four times in NdR. The number of chromatophores was significant only in NdR with S. platensis. In conclusion, gelling is a viable method to preserve the nutritional quality of live microalgae and transfer bioactive compounds that improve the coloration of N. davidi.
