Bioenhancement of Moina cf. macrocopa With Probiotics: Improving Biomass Production and Nutritional Quality in Chlorella ‐Based Cultures

A critical bottleneck in the growth and survival of freshwater fish larvae is the availability of nutritious live feed. The cladoceran, Moina cf. macrocopa , is suitable for aquaculture due to its high population growth rate and adequate nutritional value. This study evaluated the effect of the commercial probiotic NanoCrusta (1 × 10 6 CFU/mL) on the biomass and nutritional quality of M . cf. macrocopa cultured in conjunction with Chlorella vulgaris . Experimental units (200 L) were supplemented with probiotics or maintained as controls, and population dynamics, proximate composition, and fatty acid profiles were assessed over 19 days. Probiotic supplements significantly increased M . cf. macrocopa density, with maximum density reaching 13.20 ± 0.7 ind/mL compared to 11.44 ± 0.8 ind/mL in controls. The total biomass and protein content were significantly higher in the probiotic treatment than in controls, while the lipid content was not significantly affected. Individual fatty acids varied moderately, but the total saturated fraction did not change significantly. There was an increase in monounsaturated fatty acids (∑MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (∑PUFA). Water quality parameters remained stable and were unaffected by probiotic supplementation. These results indicate that probiotics bioenhanced both biomass production and protein accretion in M . cf. macrocopa , without compromising lipid content, and do not affect water quality. Probiotic‐enhanced M . cf. macrocopa cultured with C. vulgaris provides a nutritionally superior live feed that meets the protein, lipid, and fatty acid requirements of freshwater fish larvae. Probiotic bioenhancement is, therefore, an effective strategy to improve the quantity and quality of cladoceran live feed in aquaculture.