<![CDATA[Background: Live feed is essential for the successful rearing of ornamental fish larvae because of its suitable size, digestibility, and nutritional value. Although Artemia is widely used, its high cost and limited availability encourage the search for affordable alternatives. Paramecium spp. is a promising live feed for early larval stages, but efficient and low-cost culture methods using locally available organic substrates remain insufficiently explored. Methods: Five organic materials (dry banana leaf, straw, banana peel, cabbage, and areca nut peel) were evaluated for Paramecium culture. Cell density was determined using a haemocytometer over four weeks, while pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), temperature, and light intensity were monitored. Results: Banana peel medium produced the highest Paramecium density (53,708 ± 15,471 cells mL⁻¹), significantly exceeding the other media (P < 0.05). Temperature, DO, and light intensity did not differ significantly among treatments (P > 0.05). Larvae fed Artemia showed the highest survival (54.17 ± 3.63%), final length (6.29 ± 0.10 mm), and weight (0.03 ± 0.00 mg), outperforming egg yolk and Paramecium. Conclusion: Banana peel is an effective, inexpensive substrate for culturing Paramecium spp. and represents a practical option for producing live feed as a supplementary feeding strategy in low-cost B. splendens larviculture.]]>
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