Use of Ox-Aquaculture© for disinfection of live prey and meagre larvae, Argyrosomus regius (Asso, 1801)

Live prey used for marine larval fish (rotifers and Artemia) as well as intensive larval rearing conditions are susceptible to the proliferation of bacteria that are the cause for reduced growth and larval mortality. Hydrogen peroxide has been recently proved a good disinfectant in aquaculture, either for eggs, larvae or live prey. In this study the effects of a hydrogen peroxide‐based product, Ox‐Aquaculture©, on live prey (rotifers and Artemia) and meagre larvae bacterial load, composition and final status have been tested. A 34.6% reduction of total heterotrophic bacteria and 59.7% of Vibrionaceae were obtained when rotifers were exposed for 15 min to 40 mg L−1 of the product. A 34.3% reduction of total heterotrophic bacteria and 37.7% of Vibrionaceae were obtained when Artemia were exposed for 5 min to 8000 mg L−1 of the product. More than 95% reduction of total heterotrophic bacteria and 75% of Vibrionaceae were obtained when meagre larvae were exposed for 1 h to 20 mg L−1 of the product. Furthermore, disinfection of enriched live prey with the product did not change the fatty acid composition and survival of the live prey and improved final larval survival.