Influence of water pH and feed type on reproductive performance and growth of Cyclestheria hislopi as a potential live feed for aquaculture

This study examined the combined effects of water pH and feed type on the reproduction, growth, and development of Cyclestheria hislopi , a potential live feed for aquaculture. Larvae were reared for 68 days in a 2 × 7 factorial design with pH levels from 4 to 10 and two diets: green water ( Chlorella sp. ) and fish feces. Key parameters assessed included neonate yield, fecundity, hatching and survival rates, age at first maturity, and morphometric growth. Water pH significantly ( p < 0.001) affected reproduction and growth, with near-neutral to mildly alkaline conditions (6–8) producing the best results. At pH 7, green water yielded the highest neonate production (78.3 ± 5.5; p < 0.001). Feed type alone had no significant effect ( p = 0.386), but its interaction with pH influenced reproductive success, particularly hatching rate, where fish feces showed a modest improvement ( p = 0.015). Fecundity, larval survival, and growth phases also displayed strong pH dependence. Age at first maturity ranged from 10 to 15 days, enabling multiple reproductive cycles within a 30–45-day lifespan, extendable to 60 days under favorable conditions. Overall, these laboratory findings indicate that maintaining water pH between 6 and 8 supports C. hislopi culture under controlled conditions. However, the use of raw fish feces as a diet requires nutritional, microbiological, and hatchery-scale validation before its practical application in aquaculture can be recommended.