Diatoms as hatchery feed onsite cultivation and alternatives

At shrimp hatcheries, microalgal cultures grown on-site play a pivotal role as the principal feed for the early stages of larval development (zoea). Cultivated algae are predominantly, or often exclusively, diatoms (Bacillariophyceae). However, sustainable growth of high-quality diatoms in sufficient amounts remains a challenge: “Cultures will fail to grow, will become overly contaminated with competing microorganisms or will crash even in the best-run hatcheries“