Spirulina is a genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 of cyanobacteria. As a photosynthetic organism capable of fixing nitrogen, its non-protein nutrient values are relatively low.

Spirulina is used in some foods for aquarium fish. It is especially of interest in foods for armoured catfish from the Loricariidae

Loricariidae

Loricariidae is the largest family of catfish , with almost 700 species and new species being described each year. Loricariids originate from fresh water habitats of Costa Rica, Panama, and tropical and subtropical South America. These fish are noted for the bony plates covering their bodies and...

 family and for aufwuchs

Aufwuchs

Aufwuchs is a term used to cover the small animals and plants that encrust hard substrates, such as rocks, in aquatic environments. The name originated as a German term literally meaning "surface growth" or "overgrowth", and is frequently mis-spelled "awfuchs" or similar due to the unusual "-ufw-"...

 feeders such as Cichlidae from the Rift Valley lakes

Rift Valley lakes

The Rift Valley lakes are a group of lakes in the Great Rift Valley formed by the East African Rift which runs through the whole eastern side of the African continent from north to south...

.

See also

• Arthrospira
  Arthrospira
  Arthrospira is a genus of free-floating filamentous cyanobacteria characterized by cylindrical, multicellular trichomes in an open left-hand helix. Spirulina occurs naturally in tropical and subtropical lakes with high pH and high concentrations of carbonate and bicarbonate...
  
  
• Do not confuse with: Spirulina (dietary supplement) - Spirulina and Haematococcus
  Haematococcus
  In taxonomy, Haematococcus is a genus of algae, specifically of the Haematococcaceae. Members of this group are the common cause for the pink color found in birdbaths. -Scientific journals:...
  
  microalgae are the leading species in total value in aquaculture
  Aquaculture
  Aquaculture, also known as aquafarming, is the farming of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, molluscs and aquatic plants. Aquaculture involves cultivating freshwater and saltwater populations under controlled conditions, and can be contrasted with commercial fishing, which is the...
  
   of feed additives
  Food additive
  Food additives are substances added to food to preserve flavor or enhance its taste and appearance.Some additives have been used for centuries; for example, preserving food by pickling , salting, as with bacon, preserving sweets or using sulfur dioxide as in some wines...
  
  , human dietary supplement
  Dietary supplement
  A dietary supplement, also known as food supplement or nutritional supplement, is a preparation intended to supplement the diet and provide nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, fatty acids, or amino acids, that may be missing or may not be consumed in sufficient quantities in a person's diet...
  
   and health food
  Health food
  The term health food is generally used to describe foods that are considered to be beneficial to health, beyond a normal healthy diet required for human nutrition. However, the term is not precisely defined by national regulatory agencies such as the U.S...
  
  s. Its members are not used as those of Arthrospira
  Arthrospira
  Arthrospira is a genus of free-floating filamentous cyanobacteria characterized by cylindrical, multicellular trichomes in an open left-hand helix. Spirulina occurs naturally in tropical and subtropical lakes with high pH and high concentrations of carbonate and bicarbonate...
  
  are.