ICAR-CIBA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with M/s. V.R. Aqua fish farming (Start-up) Chennai on 30th July 2025 for pilot scale demonstration of live feed biomass production technology. Live feed plays a vital role in enhancing growth, coloration, and reproductive performance in ornamental fishes and shrimp broodstock. A robust live feed biomass production technology has been developed using Artemia, rotifers (Brachionus spp.), and copepods to cater to the nutritional needs of these aquatic species. Although Artemia biomass is endemic to solar salt pan, the lack of free accessibility limits its culture potential. In this context, tank based adult Artemia biomass production technology developed have better control over biosecurity and natural calamities, and can be popularised in inland or coastal areas where accessibility to saltpan is limited. Tank-based Artemia biomass production systems have been standardized for biosecure and high-yield production using optimized salinity, stocking densities, and microbial regimes. The integrated live feed systems provide a sustainable, biosecure, and high-quality nutrient source for improving larval rearing success and reproductive output in both ornamental fish hatcheries and shrimp broodstock management programs.
Dr. Kuldeep K. Lal, Director, ICAR-CIBA, emphasized the critical need for developing biosecured live feed biomass technologies to support the broodstock nutrition of brackishwater shrimp and fishs, and stressed the importance of establishing scalable live feed production systems that can operate under varying salinity conditions
Dr P.S.Shyne Anand, Senior Scientist and Principal investigator of “Live feed biomass technology”briefed the gathering about the genesis of the tank based artemia biomass production systems and its significance in broodstock maturation diet.
Shr. K.sathya Prakash., Shr . M.Varadharajan., Shr.Ajith R congratulated the CIBA team on their achievement, acknowledged CIBA’s role in the brackishwater sector, and expressed confidence in the technology to take up under startup mode.
The event was coordinated by the Institute Technology Management Unit (ITMU), CIBA, and attended by heads of various research division.
