Estratégias alimentares na larvicultura do peixe ornamental amazônico acará-severo (Heros severus) (Heckel, 1840) / Feeding strategies on larval rearing of severum (Heros severus) (Heckel, 1840), Amazonian ornamental fish

Com o presente estudo, objetivou-se avaliar o tempo de fornecimento de náuplios de artêmia e o período de transição alimentar para pós-larvas de acará-severo (Heros severus). Foram utilizadas 450 pós-larvas de acará-severo, distribuídas em 45 aquários, em delineamento inteiramente ao acaso, em esquema fatorial 3x5, com três repetições. Foram avaliados três períodos de fornecimento de náuplios de artêmia: zero, cinco e 10 dias. Além disso, foram testados cinco períodos de transição alimentar: um, dois, três, quatro e cinco dias, quando os animais receberam alimentação conjunta de náuplios de artêmia e dieta farelada. Ao final do experimento, os peixes foram contados, pesados e fotografados, para avaliação do desempenho produtivo e das variáveis morfométricas. Para todos os parâmetros avaliados, não foi constatada interação entre o tempo de fornecimento de artêmia e o período de transição alimentar. Os animais alimentados por 10 dias com náuplios de artêmia apresentaram os melhores resultados de desempenho e as maiores variáveis morfométricas. Os peixes que receberam alimentação conjunta por três dias apresentaram desenvolvimento satisfatório. Dessa forma, recomendam-se 10 dias de fornecimento de náuplios de artêmia e três dias de transição alimentar, antes de se iniciar o fornecimento exclusivo de dieta inerte para pós-larvas de acará-severo.(AU)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the supply time of artemia and the period of food transition to post-larvae of severum (Heros severus). A total of 450 post-larvae of severum were distributed in 45 aquaria, in a completely randomized design, in a 3x5 factorial scheme, with three replicates. Three feeding periods with artemia nauplii were evaluated: zero, five, and ten days. In addition, five feeding transitions were tested: one, two, three, four and five days, when the animals received joint feeding of artemia nauplii and dry diet. At the end of the experiment the fish were counted, weighed and photographed, to evaluate the productive performance and the morphometric variables. For all parameters evaluated, no interaction between the time of artemia supply and the feeding transition period was observed. Animals fed for 10 days with artemia nauplii showed the best performance results and the highest morphometric variables. The fish that received joint feeding for three days presented satisfactory development. Thus, 10 days of artemia nauplii supply and three days of feeding transition is recommended before starting the exclusive supply of diet inert to post-larvae of severum.(AU)

Estratégias alimentares na larvicultura do peixe ornamental amazônico acará-severo (Heros severus) (Heckel, 1840) / Feeding strategies on larval rearing of severum (Heros severus) (Heckel, 1840), Amazonian ornamental fish

Com o presente estudo, objetivou-se avaliar o tempo de fornecimento de náuplios de artêmia e o período de transição alimentar para pós-larvas de acará-severo (Heros severus). Foram utilizadas 450 pós-larvas de acará-severo, distribuídas em 45 aquários, em delineamento inteiramente ao acaso, em esquema fatorial 3x5, com três repetições. Foram avaliados três períodos de fornecimento de náuplios de artêmia: zero, cinco e 10 dias. Além disso, foram testados cinco períodos de transição alimentar: um, dois, três, quatro e cinco dias, quando os animais receberam alimentação conjunta de náuplios de artêmia e dieta farelada. Ao final do experimento, os peixes foram contados, pesados e fotografados, para avaliação do desempenho produtivo e das variáveis morfométricas. Para todos os parâmetros avaliados, não foi constatada interação entre o tempo de fornecimento de artêmia e o período de transição alimentar. Os animais alimentados por 10 dias com náuplios de artêmia apresentaram os melhores resultados de desempenho e as maiores variáveis morfométricas. Os peixes que receberam alimentação conjunta por três dias apresentaram desenvolvimento satisfatório. Dessa forma, recomendam-se 10 dias de fornecimento de náuplios de artêmia e três dias de transição alimentar, antes de se iniciar o fornecimento exclusivo de dieta inerte para pós-larvas de acará-severo.(AU)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the supply time of artemia and the period of food transition to post-larvae of severum (Heros severus). A total of 450 post-larvae of severum were distributed in 45 aquaria, in a completely randomized design, in a 3x5 factorial scheme, with three replicates. Three feeding periods with artemia nauplii were evaluated: zero, five, and ten days. In addition, five feeding transitions were tested: one, two, three, four and five days, when the animals received joint feeding of artemia nauplii and dry diet. At the end of the experiment the fish were counted, weighed and photographed, to evaluate the productive performance and the morphometric variables. For all parameters evaluated, no interaction between the time of artemia supply and the feeding transition period was observed. Animals fed for 10 days with artemia nauplii showed the best performance results and the highest morphometric variables. The fish that received joint feeding for three days presented satisfactory development. Thus, 10 days of artemia nauplii supply and three days of feeding transition is recommended before starting the exclusive supply of diet inert to post-larvae of severum.(AU)

Comparing data on the reproduction of Varroa destructor

Varroa destructor reproductive success is considered an important character for determining the resistance of honey bees to this mite parasite. However, most of the published data are not comparable due to the different methods of ascertaining and reporting reproduction. A recently published technique that involves reconstructing mite families in older worker brood gives repeatable and reliable parameters. This methodology was used to compare various categories of reproduction of approximately 1,000 V. destructor females in each of three studies on Africanized bees in Brazil and Mexico and European bees in England. The most objective and useful measure was the determination of the number of viable females per female that had invaded the worker brood in singly infested cells, which was denominated the [quot ]effective reproduction rate[quot ]. Viable females are those that can reach the adult stage and have a mate available. The effective reproduction rate in worker brood was 0.64, 0.73 and 1.01 in Brazil, Mexico and England, respectively. Standardization of reproduction determination techniques would make published data comparable and much more useful

Varroa-tolerant Italian honey bees introduced from Brazil were not more efficient in defending themselves against the mite Varroa destructor than Carniolan bees in Germany

In Europe and North America honey bees cannot be kept without chemical treatments against Varroa destructor. Nevertheless, in Brazil an isolated population of Italian honey bees has been kept on an island since 1984 without treatment against this mite. The infestation rates in these colonies have decreased over the years. We looked for possible varroa-tolerance factors in six Italian honey bee colonies prepared with queens from this Brazilian island population, compared to six Carniolan colonies, both tested at the same site in Germany. One such factor was the percentage of damaged mites in the colony debris, which has been reported as an indicator of colony tolerance to varroa. A mean of 35.8 of the varroa mites collected from the bottoms of the Italian bee colonies were found damaged, among which 19.1 were still alive. A significantly greater proportion of damaged mites were found in the Carniolan bees (42.3) and 22.5 were collected alive. The most frequent kind of damage found was damaged legs alone, affecting 47.4 of the mites collected from debris in Italian bees, which was similar to the amount found in Carniolan colonies (46). The mean infestation rate by the varroa mite in the worker brood cells in the Italian bee colonies was 3.9 in June and 3.5 in July, and in drone brood cells it was 19.3 in June. In the Carniolan honey bee colonies the mean infestation rates in worker brood cells were 3.0 and 6.7, respectively in the months of June and July and 19.7 in drone brood cells in June. In conclusion, the 'Varroa-tolerant' Italian honey bees introduced from Brazil produced lower percentages of damaged mites (Varroa destructor) in hive debris and had similar brood infestation rates when compared to 'susceptible' Carniolan bees in Germany. In spite of the apparent adaptation of this population of Italian bees in Brazil, we found no indication of superiority of these bees when we examined the proportions of damaged mites and the varroa-infestation rates, compared to Carniloan bees kept in the same apiary in Germany

Varroa-tolerant Italian honey bees introduced from Brazil were not more efficient in defending themselves against the mite Varroa destructor than Carniolan bees in Germany.

In Europe and North America honey bees cannot be kept without chemical treatments against Varroa destructor. Nevertheless, in Brazil an isolated population of Italian honey bees has been kept on an island since 1984 without treatment against this mite. The infestation rates in these colonies have decreased over the years. We looked for possible varroa-tolerance factors in six Italian honey bee colonies prepared with queens from this Brazilian island population, compared to six Carniolan colonies, both tested at the same site in Germany. One such factor was the percentage of damaged mites in the colony debris, which has been reported as an indicator of colony tolerance to varroa. A mean of 35.8% of the varroa mites collected from the bottoms of the Italian bee colonies were found damaged, among which 19.1% were still alive. A significantly greater proportion of damaged mites were found in the Carniolan bees (42.3%) and 22.5% were collected alive. The most frequent kind of damage found was damaged legs alone, affecting 47.4% of the mites collected from debris in Italian bees, which was similar to the amount found in Carniolan colonies (46%). The mean infestation rate by the varroa mite in the worker brood cells in the Italian bee colonies was 3.9% in June and 3.5% in July, and in drone brood cells it was 19.3% in June. In the Carniolan honey bee colonies the mean infestation rates in worker brood cells were 3.0 and 6.7%, respectively in the months of June and July and 19.7% in drone brood cells in June. In conclusion, the 'Varroa-tolerant' Italian honey bees introduced from Brazil produced lower percentages of damaged mites (Varroa destructor) in hive debris and had similar brood infestation rates when compared to 'susceptible' Carniolan bees in Germany. In spite of the apparent adaptation of this population of Italian bees in Brazil, we found no indication of superiority of these bees when we examined the proportions of damaged mites and the varroa-infestation rates, compared to Carniloan bees kept in the same apiary in Germany.