Abstract
Live feeds of the genus Artemia are widely used in aquaculture, but their nutritional value and microbiological quality depend on culture conditions and can be improved through biological enrichment. This study evaluated the effect of enriching Artemia parthenogenetica with the Arthrospira platensis ZTS-2024 strain on biochemical characteristics and microbiological quality. The strain, isolated from the southeastern saline area of Lake Balkhash (Jetisu Region, Kazakhstan), was used for 18- and 24-h enrichment. Amino acid and fatty acid compositions, total culturable bacterial counts, Vibrio spp. abundance, and hemolytic bacterial counts were determined. The experiment included three biological replicates, and the data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s test. Enrichment increased several amino acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids, including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), with the greatest changes after 24 h. At 24 h, total culturable bacteria in the enriched group were 670 ± 430 CFU·individual⁻¹, an 87.1% reduction relative to the corresponding control; hemolytic bacteria decreased by 93.6%, and Vibrio spp. by 90.8%. The study extends evidence on the combined nutritional and microbiological benefits of using a local Arthrospira platensis strain for Artemia enrichment. The practical value of the results lies in the potential use of Arthrospira platensis ZTS-2024 in live-feed preparation for aquaculture.