EXPERIMENTAL CULTIVATION OF DAPHNIA MAGNA IN A SMALL-VOLUME STATIONARY WATER ENVIRONMENT USING A CHLORELLA-BASED FEED.

Industrial aquaculture is a rapidly developing sector, and high-quality live feed plays a crucial role in fish cultivation under artificial conditions. In this regard, the zooplankton species Daphnia magna is of particular importance due to its high nutritional value, rapid reproduction, and ecological adaptability. In the conducted study, optimal conditions for the cultivation of daphnia in small-volume (5 L) stagnant water containers were determined: water temperature was maintained at +17 to +21 °C, lighting was provided for 12 hours per day, 30% of the water was renewed every 4 days, and the stocking density was kept at 1000 ind./L. The results demonstrated that feeding with Chlorella was the most effective variant, as it reduced water turbidity while increasing daphnia biomass by 18–28% and overall productivity by 26–38%.