International Journal of Aquaculture, 2024, Vol.14, No.1, 9-19 http://www.aquapublisher.com/index.php/ija 17 3.6 Data analysis The R statistical software (R Core Team, 2020) was used for data analysis. A log-rank test was used to compare the differences between the survival curves at different temperatures and densities. Comparisons were done for the time it took to attain 50% mortality. Regression analysis on log-transformed percent composition of essential fatty acids was performed to compare the differences between storage temperature and days. 4 Conclusion and Recommendation The survival of the Thermocyclop sp. decreased with time and changes in temperatures. More than 50% survival rate can be achieved for copepods stored at 8 °C and 12 °C 10 days after harvesting and storage. Thus, the organisms can be harvested, stored, and used to start new cultures with minimal costs of isolating and identifying a pure stock from the wild. Although the survival of Thermocyclop sp. is inversely proportional to the storage densities, the present study results showed that it’s possible to store copepods at 1000 individuals/L, with low mortality, for 14 days without feeding and achieve more than 50% survival rate. It is necessary to upscale such densities into the outdoor systems to maximize the production of the copepods while considering the quality of micro algae, water quality and aeration systems. The long-term exposure of Thermocyclop sp. to cold temperatures causes a significant increase in EPA. The HUFAs, such as AA and EPA, are highly conserved during starvation. This means the Thermocyclop sp. can be stored for future use, with no loss of their nutritional quality. Acknowledgments This research was funded by the government of Uganda through the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) and supported by the Department of Zoology, Entomology and Fisheries Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala - Uganda. Wanda Tony, Mwesigwa Tony and Kiganda Ivan are acknowledged for their field and laboratory assistance, respectively, provided during this study. The Department of Zoology, Entomology, and Fisheries Sciences, and the Department of Plant Sciences and Molecular Biology of Makerere University are acknowledged for availing space and equipment for the experimental setup. Conflict of Interest Disclosure The authors affirm that this research was conducted without any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. 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