AMPHIPODA

ABOUT AMPHIPODA

Amphipoda is one of the orders belonging to the zooplankton group. This group has high diversity, covering various suborders with species widely distributed in marine, brackish, and coastal environments. One species of this order is Amphipoda sp., which lives in seagrass beds and mangrove forests or brackish waters. Amphipoda sp. has a diverse feeding type, ranging from herbivorous, omnivorous, to carnivorous, adapted to the abundance of organisms in its environment. In addition, Amphipoda sp. is a natural food source for larger fish and crustaceans and contributes to the nutrient cycle and secondary production at the bottom of the water.

Life Cycle Amphipoda

Male Amphipoda sp. have larger and stronger gnathopods, while females have a brood pouch on their abdomen to store fertilized eggs. The eggs develop inside a marsupium lined with coarse hairs. The purpose of this is to form a protective structure until they hatch into juveniles, a process called demarsupiation.

During the juvenile phase, individuals undergo size differentiation as a sign of transition to the adult phase, with the dorsal body color appearing grayish to black. Adult Amphipoda sp. are larger with a blackish-brown body color, and there are morphological differences between males and females (sexual dimorphism). This life cycle shows that Amphipoda sp. has direct development without going through a planktonic larval stage. After the eggs hatch, the juveniles are released from the parental sac and begin their independent life. The adult phase is characterized by active reproductive ability, where males release spermatophores to fertilize female eggs.

Amphipoda Habitat

The growth and reproduction of Amphipoda sp. are highly dependent on the stability of water quality parameters during maintenance. The optimal temperature ranges from 15–25°C, which supports their metabolic processes and biological activity. The ideal pH value is in the range of 8.0–8.84, while the dissolved oxygen (DO) level of around 5.01–5.56 mg/L maintains respiratory function and physiological balance. Salinity is maintained at 15-30 ppt as the best condition for reproduction, while ammonia (NH₃) concentrations between 0.2–0.8 mg/L, nitrite (NO₂⁻) 0.05–0.2 mg/L, and nitrate (NO₃⁻) 0.05–0.2 mg/L are still considered safe for amphipod life. The stability of all these parameters creates an environment that supports metabolic efficiency, maintains physiological balance, and increases the survival rate of Amphipoda sp.

Amphipoda as Natural Feed

Amphipods are small crustaceans with high nutritional content, making them highly potential for use as natural feed in aquaculture. Amphipoda sp. has a protein content of 37–40% and fat content of 10–15% (dry weight), and is rich in essential fatty acids such as DHA, EPA, and ARA, which play an important role in the growth, nervous system development, and immunity enhancement of farmed organisms.

In addition, Amphipoda sp. contains high and balanced amounts of essential amino acids, including L-glutamic acid, L-alanine, glycine, L-leucine, L-isoleucine, L-valine, and L-proline. These contents greatly support the nutritional needs of fish and crustacean larvae.

Not only that, amphipods also contain carotenoids as antioxidants and important minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, which play a role in exoskeleton formation. This complete combination of nutrients makes amphipods a superior natural feed for improving the growth, health, and survival of various farmed organisms.

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