An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary zinc on growth performance,body composition,tissue zinc accumulation and antioxidation of juvenile starry flounder(Platichthys stellatus)with zinc sulfate(ZnSO₄·7H₂O)as zinc source,by using a purified diet based on caseingelatin as the protein sources.The basal diet was supplemented with 0,50,100,150,200 and 400 mg zinc per kg diet respectively and juvenile starry flounder［initial weight(62.89±0.51)g］were fed 6 purified diets containing graded levels of zinc(19.95,71.06,118.50,174.00,226.10 and 411.20 mg/kg)respectively for 66day experimental period.The results showed that weight gain rate(WGR)increased significantly with increasing dietary zinc level(P<0.05),but no significant differences were observed among the juveniles fed the diets with equal to or higher than 174.00 mg/kg of dietary zinc(P>0.05),special growth rate(SGR)and WGR followed the same trend.The fish got the highest WGR,SGR and the lowest feed conversion rate(FCR)in the treatment with 174.00 mg/kg of dietary zinc.No significant differences were observed in whole body composition among dietary treatments(P>0.05),the fat deposition in muscle of zinc supplementation of 0 mg/kg group was significantly higher than those in the other groups(P<0.05).When the juveniles were fed the diet with 411.20 mg/kg of dietary zinc,the zinc accumulation contents in the whole body,vertebrae and muscle were significantly higher than those in the other groups(P<0.05).When the juveniles were fed 118.50-411.20 mg/kg of dietary zinc,the zinc accumulation contents in whole body,vertebrae and serum were significantly higher than 19.95 mg/kg group and 71.06 mg/kg group(P<0.05),however,the liver zinc contents remained comparatively stable among all groups(P>0.05).Serum total antioxidant capacity and superoxide dismutase(SOD)activity increased significantly with increasing dietary zinc level(P<0.05),and then leveled off when the juveniles were fed the diets with equal to or higher than 174.00 mg/kg of dietary zinc.In conclusion,it could improve growth performance and tissue zinc accumulation,and enhance antioxidation function by adding proper dose of zinc in basic diet of juvenile starry flounder.Brokenline regression analysis showed that the optimum dietary zinc requirement for juvenile starry flounder,using WGR as response criteria,was 167.88 mg/kg of dietary zinc.