Establishment of oat micro-worm (Panagrellus redivivus) culture at the Cali Zoological Foundation focused on the nutritional management of the bobo fish (Priapichthys caliensis)

Citation

Gómez SM and Rojas J. 2025. Establishment of oat micro-worm (Panagrellus redivivus) culture at the Cali Zoological Foundation focused on the nutritional management of the bobo fish (Priapichthys caliensis). In Treiber K, Brooks M, D’amato-Anderson J, Nylander J, Eds. Proceedings of the Sixteenth Conference on Zoo and Wildlife Nutrition, AZA Nutrition Advisory Group, Oklahoma City, OK.

Abstract

Priapichthys caliensis, commonly known as bobo fish, is an endemic species of Valle del Cauca-Colombia currently managed ex situ at the Fundación Zoológica de Cali (FZC). Given its low acceptance of traditional live prey such as Grindal worms (Enchytraeus buchholzi), the use of Panagrellus redivivus was evaluated as a nutritional alternative. Controlled production of this nematode was established in the animal facility, and a consumption evaluation was conducted with P. caliensis in two exhibit enclosures and physiological stages: 1. Breeding and 2. Maintenance. The samples using Milk-enriched cultures as substrate showed increased production during the study.

The inclusion of P. redivivus increased food diversity and provided more opportunities to display natural foraging and predatory behaviors. Further knowledge of the Bobo fish will be important for optimizing its feeding management and achieving reproduction goals at FZC, as part of their conservation plan.

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