Background: ARTEMIA URMIANA are small crustaceans that because of its non-selective filter feeder pattern potentially may absorb high level of heavy metals through their living environment.In this study, the effects of different levels of cadmium and copper on survival, catalase activity and metals bioconcentration rates inA. URMIANA NAUPLII have been investigated.Methods: The research was carried out in February 2012 at University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.First experiment was conducted in nine concentrations with six replication, then LC50 and probable interactions between experimental metals were evaluated. In the second experiment, concentrations of metals absorbed byARTEMIA and catalase activity were measured based on the acute toxicity indices, including NOEC, LOEC and LC50 at individual and mixed concentrations.Results: The toxicity of copper sulphate (LC50=29.87) was 2.5 times greater than cadmium chloride (LC50=79.08) and the toxicity interaction between cadmium and copper was synergistic.The rate of copper uptake inARTEMIA was higher than cadmium and increased concentration of heavy metals significantly decreased the bioconcentration factor. Comparison of mixed and individual concentrations showed that cadmium significantly decreased copper uptake, while it seems that cadmium bioconcentration was improved consequently. Biochemical analysis showed that the catalase activity was affected undesirably in different individual and mixed concentrations; however, these changes were not significant.Conclusion: A. URMIANA nauplia seems to be highly resistant toward cadmium and copper in their culture medium and demonstrated excessive potential for uptake of heavy metals from their rearing environment.

The study of Nannochloropsis oculata & Isochrysis galbana algae increase the percentage of unsaturated fatty acids, especially EPA and DHA fatty acids in Urmia ARTEMIA (ARTEMIA URMIANA) was performed. Groups of 10-15 liters salinity, temperature in 25-26 ° C, pH 5 / 8-8, 2000 lux light) with emphasis EPA and DHA, on the study and with control group (Group of hunger during the treatments enrichment), were compared. The results show that the best time ARTEMIA NAUPLII for enrichment with algae about 2 hours after the yolk sac is absorbed. The best species of algae to increase the EPA was Isochrysis galbana with the 1. 74 mg / g dry weight and increase DHA algae Nannochloropsis oculata with the 0. 22mg/ g dry weight and ratio between DHA / EPA is: 0. 12. The examples above that of the control sample is statistically significant.

This research was performed to introduce a standard protocol for enrichment of ARTEMIA urmian with Canola oil. ARTEMIA URMIANA NAUPLII were enriched at three densities (50000, 100000 and 200000 NAUPLII L-1) and three concentrations of Canola oil (0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 g L-1). Their effects were evaluated on survival, total length and profile of fatty acids at 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18 hours after the onset of enrichment. Cysts of A.URMIANA were hatched according to the standard method. A.URMIANA NAUPLII were stocked at above densities in 7 L cylindrical containers. Canola oil emulsion was added at concentrations of 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 g L-1 at the beginning and 12 hours after the onset of enrichment. The results of analysis showed that enrichment of A.URMIANA with 0.3 g L-1 Canola oil at 100000 NAUPLII L-1 for 18 hours was considered as the best treatment. ARTEMIA NAUPLII enriched in this treatment had significantly higher levels of (n-3) PUFA and survival and minimum total length comparing to other treatments. The treatment had significantly higher levels of (n-6) PUFA than all treatments except treatment with a density of 50,000 NAUPLII L-1 with 0.1 g L-1 Canola oil for 18 hours.

The ability of ARTEMIA URMIANA NAUPLII as a carrier of oxolinic acid and its transfer to the Persian sturgeon larvae (Acipenser persicus), drug excertion in the NAUPLII of ARTEMIA in the cold incubation (4oC) and fish larvae in the laboratory conditions (19-21oC) were studied. The correlation between drug excretion and time of NAUPLII storing in the cold incubation was significant. The oxolinic acid excretion in first 12 hours of experiment in 2 doses of 5% and 10% (w/w) were 23.16% and 13.05% and in 24 hours of experiment 58.86% and 41.09% comparable of t0 (time of transferring to cold incubation), respectively. This decrease was significant. In dose of 20% of experimental treatment excretion rate of oxolinic acid in 4, 8, 12 and 24 hours of experiment comparable of t0 were 10.89%, 14.8%, 18.48%, 55.51%, respectively. The correlation between oxolinic acid excretion from NAUPLII of ARTEMIA URMIANA and time of NAUPLII storing by passing the time was high (r>95%) and significant (p<0/05). The oxolinic acid excretion in fish larvae in first 12 hours of experiment in 3 doses of 5%, 10%, 20% were 5.7%, 43.58%, 70.51%, respectively. These decreases were significant in 2 doses 10% and 20%.

We assessed the effects of ARTEMIA URMIANA NAUPLII as fish food enriched with different oils on growth and survival rate of Persian sturgeon (Acipenser persicus) larvae. Sturgeon ovary oil, cod liver oil, linseed oil and a commercial emulsion (ICES, Belgium Brand) in three levels (100, 200 and 300ppm) for two periods of 12 and 24h were used for enrichment of A. URMIANA NAUPLII fed to Persian sturgeon larvae during 20 days. Length, weight, SGR, CF, FCR and biochemical analyses including fatty acid profiles, total lipid and protein were measured for sturgeon larvae. Maximum length (43.9±2.3mm), OW (34.9±8.7mg), and minimum FCR (1.15±0.21) for sturgeon treatment 12h-200ppm, maximum SGR (13.4±0.6) for sturgeon treatment 12h-300ppm, CF (0.47±0.03) for linseed treatment 12h-300ppm and ICES 12h-300ppm (0.47±0.05), survival (94.1±0.2%) for ICES 24h-200ppm, protein content (70.05%) for ICES 12h-200ppm, lipid (21.14%) for sturgeon ovary oil treatment 24h- 300ppm, Arachidonic acid (ARA) (1.54±0.22mg.g OW) for cod liver oil treatment 24h- 300ppm, EPA (3.53±0.36mg.g OW) for cod liver oil 24h-100ppm, and OHA (3.22±0.09mg.g OW) for ICES and linseed treatments 24h-200ppm were obtained. OHA/EPA ratio in sturgeon larvae before active feeding was 1.75 which showed no significant difference compared to ICES in two levels (24h-100 and 200ppm) and linseed in two levels (24h-100 and 200ppm). ANOV A of different treatments showed significant differences between length, CF, survival rate, total lipid, ARA, EPA, and OHA contents of the sturgeon larvae among treatments (P<0.05).

ARTEMIA NAUPLII, despite their marine origin, have a good potential for application in the freshwater ornamental fish culture. In this study, ARTEMIA URMIANA and A. franciscana were used for feeding Guppy (Poecilia reticulata Peters) larvae. Newly hatched NAUPLII at three different densities of 3, 6, and 12 ind./ml as live feed were compared for measuring larval ingestion rate. Results showed that type and density of ARTEMIA NAUPLII had significant effects on ingestion rate (P<0.05). The average ingestion rate in larvae which were maintained at 12 hours starvation (first set of experiment) were 36, 244, and 664 ind./larvae/day for A. URMIANA, 160, 480, and 880 ind./larvae/day for A. fransiscana at densities of 3, 6, and 12 ind./ml, respectively. The average ingestion rate of guppy larvae with 24, 48 and 72 hours feeding preconditions (2nd, 3rd and 4th set of experiment) significantly (P<0.05) decreased. After starvation, the ingestion rate of guppy larvae fed A. URMIANA ranged between 22-54, 86-102, and 148-188 ind./larvae/day, for A. franciscana 66-100, 100-260, and 200-224 ind./larvae/day at 3, 6, and 12 ind./ml, respectively. The use of suitable densities of 6 and 12 ind./ml from ARTEMIA NAUPLII could increase efficiency of utilization and also improve guppy larvae production.

Due to the importance of adult ARTEMIA in aquaculture, information regarding the digestive enzyme activities variation with inexpensive diets has great importance in ARTEMIA at different life stages. In this study, the effect of different inexpensive diets on digestive enzyme activities, including trypsin, amylase and lipase of ARTEMIA URMIANA was investigated in different life stages. The experiment was carried out with 5 treatments and each with 2 replicates over 15 days using 5 diets (wheat meal, common carp diet, soybean meal, a mixture of soybean meal and canola meal (compound diet 1) and a mixture of soybean meal and wheat meal (compound diet 2) in a completely random design. NAUPLII were introduced to their cultivation environments after hatching and the digestive enzyme activities were measured in days 5, 10 and 15 of the experiment. Positive and significant correlation were observed between the crude protein content of the diets and trypsin activity (0.74), the carbohydrate content of the diets and amylase activity (0.49), and crude fat content of the diets and lipase activity (0.84). The activities of all enzymes were increased with the ARTEMIA development in this study. During the experimental period, the trypsin, activities were increased in all treatments with the exception of wheat meal treatment, amylase activities were increased in all treatments and lipase activities were increased in all treatments with the exception of common carp diet and wheat meal treatments. Digestive enzyme activities were affected by the diets and ARTEMIA life stages. Regarding the increasing digestive enzyme activities until adult stage in ARTEMIA URMIANA, using adult ARTEMIA URMIANA decreases pressure on resources of ARTEMIA cyst and NAUPLII in natural environments. In addition, this condition may result in more economic returns and better quality of adult ARTEMIA compared to its cyst and NAUPLII.

High unsaturated fatty acids HUFAs are of essential nutritional value in larval food, as these fatty acids play a very important role in survival of growing larvae. Therefore it is necessary to enrich the newly hatched ARTEMIA Nauplli in order to improve HUFA content as well as DHNEP A ratio. ARTEMIA URMIANA contains a very low level of EPA (ω3) and only a trace amount of DHA (ω3), therefore it must be enriched before use.In enrichment through use of emulsion, a high increase in EPA as well as in DHA levels as compared to control was observed. During starvation period while in cold incubation, EPA level decreased initially but was followed by a later gradual increase whereas DHA level continued to decrease throughout incubation period. Due to this storing Nauplli for more than 24 hours after enrichment cannot be recommended, because the level of nutritional value would decrease to such low limits that it cannot be used as efficient and suitable larval food.

The effect of ARTEMIA URMIANA NAUPLII enriched with flaxseed oil on growth performance, survival and fatty acid composition of severum, Cichlasoma severum, larvae (0.3 mg initial weight) was investigated through a completely randomized block design with two treatments, viz., (1) larvae fed with plain NAUPLII, (2) larvae fed with NAUPLII enriched with flaxseed oil, in three replications. Results of the first biometry (day 18th), showed a significantly higher survival rate in treatment 1 (81.87±0.29%) than treatment 2 (68.83±1.62%) (P<0.05), but there were no significant differences in the specific growth rates, the average weight and length gains between treatments (P>0.05). At the end of the second period of the experiment (day 36th), significant differences in growth performance and survival rate was recorded between treatment 1 (97.82±1.09%) and treatment 2 (91.16±1.34%) (P>0.05). The larvae was also found to convert n-3fatty acids to EPA and DHA.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of five blends of probiotic bacillus on the growth and survival of Acipenser persicus larvae via bioencapsulation of ARTEMIA URMIANA NAUPLII. This experiment was conducted in a completely random design in four treatments. The blends of probiotic bacillus such as Aqua-1, Aqua-2, Aqua-3 and Aqua-4, and are used in three concentrations of 1.09×105, 2.2×105 and 3.18×105 bacteries per ml in suspension of broth. Every day ARTEMIA NAUPLII by one of blends of probiotic bacillus was bioencapsulated for 10 hours and Persian sturgeon larvae were fed on it. The controlled treatments were fed on unbioencapsulated ARTEMIA NAUPLII. The larves were fed on 6 times a day, every4 hours with bioencapsulated NAUPLII. The results indicated that the probiotic bacillus according to the concentrations used in bacterial broth, were replaced in digestive system of Persian sturgeon larvae, and had positive significant effects on the growth factors, final weight, Specific Growth Rate (%), food convertion efficiency and survival rate (P<0.05). But food convertion Ratio showed significant decreas (P<0.05). No significant difference in the condition factor was observed (P>0.05). The increase of the growth factors indicated a positive significantly correlation with the number of probiotic bacteries (CFU/larvae).The experiment indicated that the ability of probiotic bacillus to influence the increase of the growth performance is relatively high.