Laboratory of Aquaculture & Artemia Reference Center


	RESEARCH

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Main research topics

Since 1978 the Laboratory of Aquaculture & Artemia Reference Center has been involved in research on larviculture of fish and shellfish species of aquaculture interest. Initially, the main research effort focussed on the universally used brine shrimp Artemia as vital food source for fish and shellfish larvae. Research topics are brine shrimp culturing biology, natural occurrence, production techniques, strain characterisation, nutritional value and enrichment. Gradually, research activities extended into the other live food organisms, micro algae and rotifers, i.e. their production and nutritional manipulation, with main emphasis on lipids and vitamins C and E. Meanwhile, the worldwide industrialisation of larviculture demanded more thorough research on the zootechnical, microbiological and immunological aspects of larviculture. Therefore, the ARC engaged in a multidisciplinary collaboration effort with specialists from different research institutes, local and abroad, in the framework of nationally and internationally funded R&D projects.

Recently the UGent Aquaculture R&D Consortium was established grouping 13 departments from 3 faculties. The major topics of research performed in collaboration with partners of the UGent Aquaculture R&D Consortium are:

Artemia culturing biology and strain characterisation
husbandry and nutrition of fish and crustacean broodstock
live food production and nutritional manipulation for fish and shellfish larvae
analysis of microbial communities; quorum sensing (focusing on Vibrio); microbial bioflocs as feed in aquaculture
gnotobiotic culture of Artemia, Brachionus and sea bass larvae
gastrointestinal development in larvae
development of alternative technique for disease prevention (probiotics, prebiotics, immunostimulants, environmental stress)
pathology of WSSV in Penaeid shrimp
morphological development of larvae
transcriptome analysis in Artemia and fish larvae

Recently accomplished PhD studies provide an interesting overview of our current research activities.

Testing with target species is done at small scale at the laboratory in Ghent with larvae of fish, shrimp, and molluscs that are obtained from hatcheries abroad. Through collaboration with scientific and private partners in Europe, Asia and Latin America, further verification work is performed with other fish and shellfish species (e.g. different Penaeus spp.; different European marine fish spp. such as bass, turbot, bream, halibut, cod, Dentex; Asian seabass, milkfish, grouper and mahimahi, different clam spp.).