The objective of the present experimental study was to gain a better understanding
of the foraging activity of Asellus aquaticus during fish egg incubation. A. aquaticus
were introduced into experimental setups of dead eggs, viable eggs and hatched larvae
of zebrafish ( Danio rerio ), a commonly used model organism. The amount of A. aquaticus
and the duration of their exposure to the eggs significantly affected the proportion
of consumed dead eggs in each experimental cycle. A. aquaticus belongs to the group
of aquatic detritivores, and no predatory behavior was observed during the experiments.
These crustaceans could distinguish between the dead eggs and those containing living
embryos. Furthermore, zebrafish larvae remained unharmed by A. aquaticus , even in
the absence of alternative food source. These findings underscore the potential sanitary
role of these crustaceans in natural waters and offer new perspectives on their possible
use as biological control organisms in aquaculture hatcheries. Additionally, our results
suggest a potential application of A. aquaticus in combating pathogens by reducing
the growth substrates for bacteria and fungi.
