The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of feeding on stress resistance and growth in larvae of neotropical fish of the species: Astronotus ocellatus, Piaractus mesopotamicus, and Pseudoplatystoma coruscans. Larvae received different types of food (Artemia sp., Colossoma macropomum larvae and artificial microdiet Fry Feed Kyowa). Resistance tests to air exposure were applied, and larvae survival was determined after 24 hours. To evaluate the growth, weight measures were performed during the different treatments. A. ocellatus larvae fed on Artemia sp. nauplii tended to better resistant and weight than others that received artificial microdiet. P. mesopotamicus larvae showed better stress resistance and weight values when fed on Artemia sp. or under mixed feeding (Artemia sp. + artificial microdiet). For P. coruscans, the use of forage fish larvae provided more resistant individuals than those treated with Artemia sp. or artificial food. However, values of weight were the same for both foods. The live food is important in the growth in weight as well as in the improvement of the stress resistance in the studied species.
feeding; air exposure; larviculture; Astronotus ocellatus; Piaractus mesopotamicus; Pseudoplatystoma coruscans
