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For the short and sweet version of why we love Phaeodactylum, click HERE for our announcement blog post: The New 5-Specie REEFreshments: Live Phytoplankton – Now with Phaeodactylum But! For those of you aquaholics who are like us and who love to geek-out about microalgae, you’re in the right place! Continue reading for our in-depth review of Phaeodactylum – The newest core specie of our now 5-specie REEFreshments: Live Phytoplankton blend! Our “Love Letter to Phaeodactylum tricornutum”The Specific Benefits that Phaeodactylum Brings to our Phytoplankton Blend and to Your Aquarium |
| Phaeodactylum tricornutum is an atypical species of phytoplankton. It is a marine, unicellular diatom, similar to Chaetoceros (also found in our REEFreshments phytoplankton blend), but it brings its own unique array of benefits, including: A robust nutritional profile, diversity in cell shape and size, a tolerance for reef-salinity, desirable phosphate uptake, and a non-reliance on the presence of silicates. |  Microscopic image of P. tricornutum © Aquaholic Aquaculture |
(1) Highly Nutritious –
With Unparalleled Levels of Omega-3 Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA)
Phaeodactylum has long been used in mollusk and fish aquaculture because of its prized nutritional profile. Phaeodactylum boasts high-protein and high-carbohydrate ratios, and an exceptional Omega-3 fatty acid profile. Phaeodactylum provides impressive levels of essential highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs) required to sustain health in marine organisms; specifically, it contains BOTH eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (Hamilton et al., 2015).
Notably, Phaeodactylum’s EPA levels are exceptionally high, with EPA percentages reported as high as 51.8% (Cui et al., 2020). This EPA value far surpasses the EPA percentages for standard microalgae species cultured for use in the industry. With these remarkable EPA levels, Phaeodactylum significantly outperforms Nannochloropsis (which was formerly the ‘gold-standard’ of high-EPA phytoplankton) and earns its place as one of the most nutritious microalgae on the market.
How this Benefits Your Reef: Your reef organisms require complete and balanced nutrition to grow and thrive. Omega-3 HUFAs are of particular importance when it comes to marine organism health, with research demonstrating the critical role that EPA and DHA perform in sustaining marine life. Phaeodactylum contributes BOTH EPA and DHA to our blend (with exceptionally high levels of EPA), making our blend more balanced and nutritious than ever before!
Many phytoplankton products on the market are single-specie products that only provide either EPA or DHA, limiting the nutritional value of the product. For example, a single-specie phytoplankton product of only Nannochloropsis would contain relatively high levels of EPA (maximum of ~30%), but 0% DHA (Hoff & Snell, 1987), meaning that your reef inhabitants would not receive any DHA from the phytoplankton product, negatively impacting their health and survival.
With our multi-specie REEFreshments: Live Phytoplankton blend, you never have to worry about not providing a balanced and nutritious live feed. And, while our former 4-specie live phyto blend provided excellent nutrition, the addition of Phaeodactylum to our blend further elevates the nutritional profile of our REEFreshments: Live Phytoplankton, making it significantly more nutritionally comprehensive and robust.
Notably, Phaeodactylum’s EPA levels are exceptionally high, with EPA percentages reported as high as 51.8% (Cui et al., 2020). This EPA value far surpasses the EPA percentages for standard microalgae species cultured for use in the industry. With these remarkable EPA levels, Phaeodactylum significantly outperforms Nannochloropsis (which was formerly the ‘gold-standard’ of high-EPA phytoplankton) and earns its place as one of the most nutritious microalgae on the market.
How this Benefits Your Reef: Your reef organisms require complete and balanced nutrition to grow and thrive. Omega-3 HUFAs are of particular importance when it comes to marine organism health, with research demonstrating the critical role that EPA and DHA perform in sustaining marine life. Phaeodactylum contributes BOTH EPA and DHA to our blend (with exceptionally high levels of EPA), making our blend more balanced and nutritious than ever before!
Many phytoplankton products on the market are single-specie products that only provide either EPA or DHA, limiting the nutritional value of the product. For example, a single-specie phytoplankton product of only Nannochloropsis would contain relatively high levels of EPA (maximum of ~30%), but 0% DHA (Hoff & Snell, 1987), meaning that your reef inhabitants would not receive any DHA from the phytoplankton product, negatively impacting their health and survival.
With our multi-specie REEFreshments: Live Phytoplankton blend, you never have to worry about not providing a balanced and nutritious live feed. And, while our former 4-specie live phyto blend provided excellent nutrition, the addition of Phaeodactylum to our blend further elevates the nutritional profile of our REEFreshments: Live Phytoplankton, making it significantly more nutritionally comprehensive and robust.
(2) Various Cell Shapes
| One of the beloved oddities about Phaeodactylum is that the cells adapt to certain environmental conditions and change shape accordingly. Phaeodactylum can be found in oval, fusiform (peapod-shaped), triradiate (three-pointed-star), and the rare cruciform (cross) shape. It is theorized that Phaeodactylum changes shape to shift its buoyancy ability. Oval-shaped cells tend to clump together and sink, while fusiform, triradiate, and cruciform cells are more buoyant and better able stay in suspension. Research by Kuenzler and Ketchum (1962) and our own anecdotal experience culturing Phaeodactylum has demonstrated an increase in fusiform, triradiate, and cruciform (although rare) cells in lab cultures as these cell shapes are better favored by selection due to their buoyancy advantage. |  Microscopic image of P. tricornutum © Aquaholic Aquaculture |
How this Benefits Your Reef: A phytoplankton better suited for staying in suspension means a food source for your reef that stays hovering in the water column ready for consumption by your hungry suspension-feeders (e.g., corals, clams, copepods, etc.). The better the suspension, the easier it is for suspension-feeders to consume the phytoplankton (Hentschel & Shimeta, 2008).
It also means that our new REEFreshments: Live Phytoplankton will better stay in suspension when bottled, which equates to a fresher, more viable product with an increased shelf life. It also means that you won’t need to shake your phyto bottles as frequently to keep the plankton from settling!
It also means that our new REEFreshments: Live Phytoplankton will better stay in suspension when bottled, which equates to a fresher, more viable product with an increased shelf life. It also means that you won’t need to shake your phyto bottles as frequently to keep the plankton from settling!
(3) Diverse Cell Sizes
As you may guess, because Phaeodactylum presents in various cell shapes, its cell sizes vary greatly. While most microalgae species cannot change their shape so their reported sizes are approximately the same, Phaeodactylum, with its variety of cell shapes, has a diverse range of cell sizes. On average, Phaeodactylum has a cell length of about 21μ and a cell width of about 4μ. However, Phaeodactylum cells have been reported as small as 3μ x 12μ, and as large as 5μ x 32μ.
How this Benefits Your Reef: Greater variety in cell shape and size improves prey-response. Not all suspension-feeders have the same dietary preferences, so the diversity of cell shapes and sizes increases the likelihood of consumption. The more variety in cell shape and size, the better the likelihood to appease all of your hungry reef inhabitants.
How this Benefits Your Reef: Greater variety in cell shape and size improves prey-response. Not all suspension-feeders have the same dietary preferences, so the diversity of cell shapes and sizes increases the likelihood of consumption. The more variety in cell shape and size, the better the likelihood to appease all of your hungry reef inhabitants.
(4) Suited for Reef Salinity
All of the phytoplankton species that we have selected for our REEFreshments: Live Phytoplankton blend thrive in reef-salinity parameters (~35ppt / ~1.025 sp gr), and Phaeodactylum is no exception, flourishing in reef-salinity environments (Hoff & Snell, 1987). In fact, research by Cui et al. (2020) demonstrated that Phaeodactylum’s growth rate was significantly greater at higher salinities (~35ppt).
How this Benefits Your Reef: One of the benefits of live phytoplankton over concentrated nonviable phytoplankton products is that live phytoplankton will live and grow in your aquarium until it is consumed by suspension-feeders (or removed by mechanical filtration or ultraviolet radiation). Live phyto has the advantage of continuously feeding your reef while also performing key nutrient export through the process of photosynthesis. While the live phytoplankton lives and reproduces in your aquarium, it consumes nitrates (NO3), phosphates (PO4), and carbon dioxide (CO2), while simultaneously producing oxygen (O2) for the aquarium. This nutrient export process reduces the phosphate and nitrate levels in the aquarium, which in turn helps to outcompete nuisance algae (e.g., hair algae, Bryopsis, red slime, etc.). Furthermore, by converting carbon dioxide to oxygen, the live phytoplankton helps maintain stable pH values by oxygenating the aquarium.
In order to reap all of the above benefits of live phyto, the phytoplankton species must be able to thrive and grow in reef aquarium environments, and, just like our original four core phyto species, Phaeodactylum thrives in these conditions.
How this Benefits Your Reef: One of the benefits of live phytoplankton over concentrated nonviable phytoplankton products is that live phytoplankton will live and grow in your aquarium until it is consumed by suspension-feeders (or removed by mechanical filtration or ultraviolet radiation). Live phyto has the advantage of continuously feeding your reef while also performing key nutrient export through the process of photosynthesis. While the live phytoplankton lives and reproduces in your aquarium, it consumes nitrates (NO3), phosphates (PO4), and carbon dioxide (CO2), while simultaneously producing oxygen (O2) for the aquarium. This nutrient export process reduces the phosphate and nitrate levels in the aquarium, which in turn helps to outcompete nuisance algae (e.g., hair algae, Bryopsis, red slime, etc.). Furthermore, by converting carbon dioxide to oxygen, the live phytoplankton helps maintain stable pH values by oxygenating the aquarium.
In order to reap all of the above benefits of live phyto, the phytoplankton species must be able to thrive and grow in reef aquarium environments, and, just like our original four core phyto species, Phaeodactylum thrives in these conditions.
(5) Great at Reducing Phosphate Levels
While all live phytoplankton help reduce phosphate levels in the aquarium, research has demonstrated Phaeodactylum to be exceptionally adept at phosphate consumption. In an experiment by Kuenzler and Ketchum (1962), the research team added phosphorous-deficient cultures of Phaeodactylum to phosphorous-rich controlled environments to analyze Phaeodactylum’s phosphate depletion rates. Their research found that upon introduction of Phaeodactylum to a phosphorous-rich environment, the microalgae immediately began phosphate uptake, resulting in a significant phosphate reduction to below measurable levels within only a few hours.
How this Benefits Your Reef: High phosphate levels are a problem that plagues many aquariums. Overfeeding, heavy bioloads, and the feeding of high-phosphate foods (among other factors) elevate phosphate levels in the aquarium which can become increasingly problematic. If phosphate levels are not kept in check, nuisance algae will begin to grow in the aquarium. And, if phosphate levels are not reduced in a timely manner, this nuisance algae can quickly overtake the aquarium, covering rocks, sand, glass, and even smothering corals and other marine sessile invertebrates. Even more worrisome, if phosphate levels climb too high, corals will begin to bleach and eventually die.
Phaeodactylum’s exceptional ability to consume phosphates means that dosing Phaeodactylum as part of our new 5-specie phytoplankton blend will help keep your phosphate levels in check, thereby reducing nuisance algae in the aquarium and fostering the continued health of your corals and other marine life.
How this Benefits Your Reef: High phosphate levels are a problem that plagues many aquariums. Overfeeding, heavy bioloads, and the feeding of high-phosphate foods (among other factors) elevate phosphate levels in the aquarium which can become increasingly problematic. If phosphate levels are not kept in check, nuisance algae will begin to grow in the aquarium. And, if phosphate levels are not reduced in a timely manner, this nuisance algae can quickly overtake the aquarium, covering rocks, sand, glass, and even smothering corals and other marine sessile invertebrates. Even more worrisome, if phosphate levels climb too high, corals will begin to bleach and eventually die.
Phaeodactylum’s exceptional ability to consume phosphates means that dosing Phaeodactylum as part of our new 5-specie phytoplankton blend will help keep your phosphate levels in check, thereby reducing nuisance algae in the aquarium and fostering the continued health of your corals and other marine life.
(6) No Silicate; No Problem
Most diatoms require the presence of silicate to build their cell walls, but not Phaeodactylum! In comparison with other diatoms, Phaeodactylum is weakly silicified (Kuenzler & Ketchum, 1962). In fact, research has demonstrated no observable difference in the growth rate of Phaeodactylum cells regardless of the presence of a silicate supplement (Cui et al., 2020).
How this Benefits Your Reef: The majority of established reef aquariums do not have high silicate levels, which means that most diatoms cannot grow and thrive in these long-established aquariums. However, since Phaeodactylum does not require the presence of silicate, it will thrive in established reef tanks!
How this Benefits Your Reef: The majority of established reef aquariums do not have high silicate levels, which means that most diatoms cannot grow and thrive in these long-established aquariums. However, since Phaeodactylum does not require the presence of silicate, it will thrive in established reef tanks!
REEFreshments: Live Phytoplankton –
A Refined Recipe for a Better Blend
We are beyond excited to be introducing Phaeodactylum to our REEFreshments: Live Phytoplankton blend. The array of benefits of Phaeodactylum make it an excellent candidate to join our flagship REEFreshments core phytoplankton species. Refining our proprietary REEFreshments: Live Phytoplankton blend into a new 5-specie blend through the addition of Phaeodactylum, has resulted in a superior phytoplankton product that we are proud to offer to the aquarium industry.
Since the introduction of our REEFreshments: Live Phytoplankton to the market in April of 2015, we have built a reputation for providing aquarists with a top-quality, live, viable, all-natural, nutritious, dense, multi-specie blend of phytoplankton. The addition of Phaeodactylum to our REEFreshments: Live Phytoplankton blend refines our recipe to ensure that we continue to provide a superior phytoplankton product. Rest assured that you can trust and rely on REEFreshments for your reefing endeavors, as we will always commit to producing live feeds of the highest standards of quality and excellence.
We know that you and your reef aquarium will love Phaeodactylum and our new 5-specie blend of REEFreshments: Live Phytoplankton as much as we do. As always, it is our pleasure to feed your reef. Cheers!
Click HERE to try our new 5-specie phytoplankton blend!
Since the introduction of our REEFreshments: Live Phytoplankton to the market in April of 2015, we have built a reputation for providing aquarists with a top-quality, live, viable, all-natural, nutritious, dense, multi-specie blend of phytoplankton. The addition of Phaeodactylum to our REEFreshments: Live Phytoplankton blend refines our recipe to ensure that we continue to provide a superior phytoplankton product. Rest assured that you can trust and rely on REEFreshments for your reefing endeavors, as we will always commit to producing live feeds of the highest standards of quality and excellence.
We know that you and your reef aquarium will love Phaeodactylum and our new 5-specie blend of REEFreshments: Live Phytoplankton as much as we do. As always, it is our pleasure to feed your reef. Cheers!
Click HERE to try our new 5-specie phytoplankton blend!
References
[1] Cui, Y., Thomas‐Hall, S. R., Chua, E. T., & Schenk, P. M. (2020). Development of high‐level omega‐3 eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) production from Phaeodactylum Tricornutum. Journal of Phycology, 57(1), 258–268.
[2] Hamilton, M. L., Warwick, J., Terry, A., Allen, M. J., Napier, J. A., & Sayanova, O. (2015). Towards the industrial production of omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids from a genetically modified diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum. PLOS ONE, 10(12).
[3] Hentschel, B. T., & Shimeta, J. (2008). Suspension Feeders. Encyclopedia of Ecology.
[4] Hoff, F. H., & Snell, T. W. (1987). Plankton culture manual. Florida Aqua Farms Inc.
[5] Kuenzler, E. J., & Ketchum, B. H. (1962). Rate of phosphorus uptake by Phaeodactylum tricornutum. The Biological Bulletin, 123(1), 134–145.
[2] Hamilton, M. L., Warwick, J., Terry, A., Allen, M. J., Napier, J. A., & Sayanova, O. (2015). Towards the industrial production of omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids from a genetically modified diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum. PLOS ONE, 10(12).
[3] Hentschel, B. T., & Shimeta, J. (2008). Suspension Feeders. Encyclopedia of Ecology.
[4] Hoff, F. H., & Snell, T. W. (1987). Plankton culture manual. Florida Aqua Farms Inc.
[5] Kuenzler, E. J., & Ketchum, B. H. (1962). Rate of phosphorus uptake by Phaeodactylum tricornutum. The Biological Bulletin, 123(1), 134–145.
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Our blog is dedicated to educating aquarium hobbyists about all-things-aquaculture, as well as sharing our aquatic adventures at Aquaholic Aquaculture® with fellow #Aquaholics
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