Comparative growth of Tubificid worms in culture media supplemented with different nutrients

Abstract

Tubificid worms have been proved as one of the most important live foods for freshwater aquaculture particularly because of having high food value. The present study was undertaken with a view to find out the effects of mineral, yeast protein and vitamin premix on the production of tubificid worms with a control media (20% mustard oil cake, 35% wheat bran, 25% cow-dung and 20% fine sand). The experiments were conducted to culture tubificid worms under running water in a rack culture system of same size (100×15 cm2). Five treatments namely control (20% mustard oil cake, 35% wheat bran, 25% cow-dung and 20% fine sand), treatment-I (culture medium containing a mixture of 1% mineral premix in control feed), treatment-II (culture medium containing a mixture of 1% yeast protein based supplement in control feed), treatment-III (culture medium containing a mixture of 1% vitamin premix in control feed), treatment-IV (1% mineral premix + yeast protein + vitamin premix in control feed) were evaluated for the production of tubificid worms. The experiment was conducted for 120 days continuously. The highest yield (67.17±2.50 g) was found at 120 day of culture duration in treatment-II. Use of yeast protein supplement (treatment-II) in media ingredients proved most promising in giving higher yield than control media and other treatments. Mineral (treatment-I) and vitamin premix (treatment-III) had also positive effects on growth of tubificid worms. The lowest yield was found in treatment-IV.