Feeding effect of selenium enriched rotifers on larval growth and development in red sea bream Pagrus major

• Selenium (Se)-enriched rotifers accelerated the growth of red sea bream larvae.
• Se concentrations of rotifers and fish larvae were higher with Se supplementation.
• Supplied Se did not significantly affect fatty acid composition of both animals.

Feeding trials were conducted to investigate the effect of selenium (Se)-enriched rotifers on growth and development of red sea bream Pagrus major larvae. Fish were reared from fertilized eggs (98% hatch rate) to 20 days post hatch (dph) at 19 °C with two different food sources; non-enriched S-type rotifers (0.0 μg Se/g D.W., control diet) or Se-enriched rotifers (2.2 μg Se/g D.W., Se-enriched diet) at 10 rotifers/mL, respectively. On the last day of larviculture, the Se-enriched diet accelerated growth and developmental stage of fish larvae. The larvae fed Se-enriched rotifers were advanced in the following parameters compared to those fed control diet: total length (6.06 vs 5.53 mm), standard length (5.74 vs 5.26 mm), head length (1.46 vs 1.28 mm), eye diameter (0.57 vs 0.50 mm), the number of caudal fin rays (5.8 vs 1.9), and the proportion of individuals undergoing notochord flexion (55 vs 3%). Fish larvae of 20 dph showed higher Se concentration (9.5 ± 0.2 μg/g DW) with the Se-enriched diet than with the control diet (1.3 ± 0.3 μg/g DW), but there were no significant differences in the composition of polyunsaturated fatty acids which significantly affect larval growth and development. Therefore, the feeding of Se enriched rotifers enhanced growth and development of the red sea bream P. major larvae.