Effect of combination feeding of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nannochloropsis</Emphasis> and freshwater <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chlorella</Emphasis> on the fatty acid composition of rotifer <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brachionus plicatilis</Emphasis> in a continuous culture

ABSTRACT:   A continuous culture of rotifer was conducted to investigate the effect of combination feeding of both a high density of Nannochloropsis oculata (N) and condensed freshwater Chlorella (FC) on the fatty acid composition of L-type rotifer Brachionus plicatilis in a continuous culture system. The algal feeding of the rotifers was carried out in three successive steps: N-feeding → N+FC-feeding → FC-feeding. The culture was conducted at 24°C and 25–27 psu in a 2000 mL bottle with 50% of water exchanged daily. The combination N+FC-feeding was effective in increasing rotifer density. The rotifers fed on N+FC (N+FC-R) had more non-polar lipids than polar ones, similar to those on N (N-R), opposite to the rotifers fed on FC (FC-R). N+FC-R contained higher levels of 16:2, 18:2n-6 (linoleic acid [LA]) and 20:2n-6, but lower levels of 18:1, 20:4n-6 (arachidonic acid), 20:5n-3 (eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA]) and 22:5n-3 (docosapentaenoic acid [DPA]) compared with N-R. Whereas N+FC-R contained higher levels of 16:1n-7, EPA and DPA, but lower levels of 16:2 and LA compared with FC-R. N+FC-R had more DPA in polar lipids than in non-polar ones. The Σn-6/Σn-3 ratio in N+FC-R was 0.9–1.0, significantly different from those in N-R (0.4) and FC-R (6.6–8.4). Therefore, it is inferred that the fatty acid profile of the N+FC-R cultured in a continuous culture system was affected by both N and FC. Also, the combination N+FC-feeding may be effective in manipulating the Σn-6/Σn-3 ratio in continuously cultured rotifers.     

Effects of water temperature on early development of Japanese eel <Emphasis Type="Italic">Anguilla japonica</Emphasis>

ABSTRACT:   To determine an optimal temperature range for efficient production of healthy eel larvae Anguilla japonica , the effect of water temperature on hatching, survival, and deformity rates was examined. The early ontogeny of morphological features in this species by incubating eggs at five different temperatures (19, 22, 25, 28 and 31°C) was examined. Hatching occurred at 24, 28, 46 and 58 h after fertilization when incubated at 28, 25, 22 and 19°C, respectively; no eggs hatched at 31°C. The growth rate of prefeeding larvae increased as water temperature was elevated and acquisition of feeding ability was also accelerated at higher temperature. Significantly high hatching rates (76–86%, P  < 0.05) and survival rates (61–86%, P  < 0.05) were observed at relatively high temperatures (22–28°C). The deformities were 'open lower jaw', 'pericardial edema', and 'notochordal bending', in which the mouth was deformed with a downward projecting lower jaw, the pericardial cavity was swollen, and the notochord was bent or twisted to various degrees, respectively. Open lower jaw and pericardial edema were especially predominant at 19°C, with rates of 68 and 92%, respectively, compared with 31 and 10% at 25 and 28°C, respectively. The occurrence of notochordal bending was not affected by temperature. The optimal temperature for incubation and rearing A. japonica eggs and prefeeding larvae is approximately 25–28°C.     

Effects of fish size and water temperature on the acute toxicity of boron to Japanese flounder <Emphasis Type="Italic">Paralichthys olivaceus</Emphasis> and red sea bream <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pagrus major</Emphasis>

ABSTRACT:     The acute toxicities of boron were examined for Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus and red sea bream Pagrus major in terms of fish size and water temperature. Japanese flounder of 0.1–70.0 g and red sea bream of 0.6–20.3 g were exposed to different concentrations of boron for 96 h at 20°C under semi-static conditions. In both fish species, the median lethal concentration (LC₅₀) for 96 h of boron increased linearly with increasing fish size, ranging from 108 to 252 mg B/L for the flounder, and from 97 to 172 mg B/L for the sea bream. The effect of water temperature on acute toxicity was examined for Japanese flounder of 0.6 and 1.5 g at 10, 15, 20 and 25°C, and for red sea bream of 0.6 and 2.4 g at 12, 15, 20 and 25°C. The toxicity of boron for the flounder increased linearly with increasing water temperature. The 96 h LC₅₀ values ranged from 299 to 108 mg B/L for the 0.6 g flounder and from 350 to 113 mg B/L for the 1.5 g flounder. A similar trend was shown for the 2.4 g red sea bream; however, the relationship for the 0.6 g red sea bream was not significant.     

Characteristics of burnt meat in cultured yellowtail <Emphasis Type="Italic">Seriola quinqueradiata</Emphasis>

ABSTRACT:   In order to understand the characteristics of burnt meat in cultured yellowtail Seriola quinqueradiata , fish were kept at two different temperatures (13 and 30°C) and slaughtered by either spinal cord destruction (SCD) or suffocation in air (SA). Early postmortem changes during storage at 32°C were analyzed by rheological, biochemical, and histological methods. The burnt meat (with lightness parameter, L* ≥ 55) was observed at 1-h storage in the SA 30°C group, at 2 h in SCD 30°C, and at 4 h in SA 13°C; meat was normal for the SCD 13°C group until 6 h of storage. Breaking strength scores were higher for the normal meat (200 g/cm²) than burnt meat (70 g/cm²) at 4 h of storage. Expressible water content was higher for the burnt meat than for the normal meat. Adenosine triphosphate concentrations for the SCD groups were higher than for the SA counterparts. Moreover, pH decrease was much faster in the 30°C groups, showing pH 5.6 at 2 h of storage. A negative correlation between the pH and lactic acid contents in muscle ( P  < 0.001) was found. Histological analysis evidenced a larger pericellular area (40%) in the burnt samples than in the normal samples (16%). It was confirmed that a higher fish-keeping water temperature and a stressful slaughter method (faster glycolytic process) were determinative factors that influence the occurrence of burnt muscle in yellowtail, and that the effect of the former is larger than the latter.     

Compensatory growth and body composition of juvenile black rockfish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sebastes schlegeli</Emphasis> following feed deprivation

ABSTRACT:   Compensatory growth, feeding rate, feed efficiency and chemical composition of juvenile black rockfish (mean weight 1.43 g) were investigated for 35 days after a 14-day feed deprivation treatment under four feeding conditions: one group continuously fed (control) and the other three groups fasted for 5 days (F5), 10 days (F10) and 14 days (F14). All fasted fish were re-fed from day 15. Only F5 achieved the same body weight as the control, indicating that complete compensation occurred in F5. The specific growth rate (SGR) of F5 was the highest at day 21 and then decreased thereafter, showing higher values than the control at days 21, 28 and 42. In contrast, although SGRs of F10 and F14 were higher than that of the control during the whole refeeding period except day 21, they did not catch up the control in body mass, indicating that only partial compensation occurred in F10 and F14. The feeding rate (FR) of all groups except F14 changed in a pattern similar to SGR (Spearman's rank correlation, r _s > 0.9), suggesting that SGR varied depending on FR. Similar feeding efficiencies (FEs) were found in the four groups and they did not vary significantly during the whole refeeding period, suggesting that FE was not the factor affecting SGR. At day 14, the ratios of lipid to lean body mass in F10 and F14 were lower than those in the control and F5, and there was no difference between the control and F5. At day 49, however, only F14 showed a lower value than the other three groups, and there was no difference among the three groups. These results indicate that juvenile black rockfish fasted for 5–14 days can exhibit compensatory growth after refeeding, but timing and degree vary depending on the duration of feed deprivation.     

Comparison between α-LNA and DHA in early developmental stages of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Takifugu obscurus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Takifugu rubripes</Emphasis>

ABSTRACT:   Rearing experiments were conducted to investigate the essential fatty acid requirements in the early developmental stages of river puffer Takifugu obscurus and tiger puffer T. rubripes using two n-3 series unsaturated fatty acids, α-linolenic acid (18:3n-3, α-LNA) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3, DHA), under salinity of 30 and 18.5–20.3°C. River and tiger puffer larvae used in this study were 15 and 14 days old after hatching, and their average body weights were 30.1 and 20.8 mg, respectively. The results on fatty acid requirements of these two species were evaluated from fish growth, survival, fatty acid composition of the fish body and activity test results. The DHA groups of both river and tiger puffer exhibited better survival and weight gain. However, there was no difference in the mean final body weights of river puffer between two dietary groups. Also, the DHA group of tiger puffer showed better results in the recovery test from anesthetic condition than that obtained in the LNA group. In an examination of the fatty acid compositions of the whole body, the LNA group containing no dietary DHA resulted in 0.5% DHA in tiger puffer and 1.1% DHA in river puffer . These results suggest that α-LNA from Artemia converted to eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3, EPA) and to DHA successively by their fatty acid metabolism. Symptoms following essential fatty acid deficiency were not observed in any experimental groups. As river puffer did not represent a significant difference in the dietary effects between α-LNA and DHA treatment groups, its essential fatty acid requirement was assumed to be somewhat closer to that of the freshwater fishes in comparison with that of marine fishes, including tiger puffer.     

Use of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Porphyra</Emphasis> spheroplasts as feed additive for red sea bream

ABSTRACT:   Two test diets with and without 5% Porphyra spheroplasts (PS) were formulated using white fishmeal as the main protein source. Red sea bream Pagrus major (mean body weight 15.4 ± 0.1 g) were maintained in a flow-through system (100 L) of thermo-controlled sea water (salinity 32–34, 25°C, 8 L/min) with ordinary aeration (400–600 mL/min) under laboratory light conditions (light–dark 12 h:12 h). Fish were fed three times a day at 10:00, 14:00 and 18:00 hours by hand for 42 days at 6% body weight on each experimental diet. Studies revealed that growth performance, survival and nutrient retention were significantly ( P  < 0.05) higher in the groups fed a diet containing spheroplasts (PS diet). Further, the fish fed the PS diet showed significantly ( P  < 0.05) lower feed conversion rates. Both groups of the PS and control diets had similar levels of body nutritional profile in terms of proximate compositions and fatty acids without compromising blood serum related parameters. From these experimental results, thus, it is comprehensible that a supplementary diet containing Porphyra spheroplasts can be used for maximizing not only growth of P. major but also for utilization of the feed ingredients.     

The effect of temperature on the energy budget of the Manila clam, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ruditapes philippinarum</Emphasis>

In this study, the energy budget of the Manila clam, Ruditapes philippinarum, was evaluated after one-week acclimation periods at 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25°C. Small clams (151 ± 12 mg DW) and large clams (353 ± 16 mg DW) were fed with the microalgae, Isochrysis galbana. Filtration rate, ingestion rate, assimilation efficiency, oxygen-consumption rate, and ammonia excretion rate were measured. Both filtration rate and ingestion rate of small and large clams were found to be related to temperature. The highest Q ₁₀ values were measured in the range 15–20°C for both small and large clams. Assimilation efficiency of both small and large clams was not significantly influenced by temperature, although the maximum mean values were detected at 20°C. Oxygen consumption rate and ammonia excretion rate of small and large clams were found to be related directly to temperature over the entire range, with a maximum being detected at 25°C. The highest Q ₁₀ value was estimated in the range 10–15°C with regard to oxygen consumption rate, and in the range of 15–20°C with regard to ammonia excretion rate. Scope for growth (SFG) was positive at all temperatures, achieving a maximum value at 20°C in both small and large clams, primarily as a consequence of the enhanced ingestion rate which offset the concomitant elevation in the metabolic rate. In this study we have estimated the thermal optimum for this species at 20°C.     

Distribution,growth and hatch date of juvenile Pacific bluefin tuna <Emphasis Type="Italic">Thunnus orientalis</Emphasis> in the coastal area of the sea of Japan

ABSTRACT:   Mid-water trawl surveys were conducted from late August to late September in 1999 and 2004 in order to investigate the distribution pattern, hatch date, and growth of juvenile Pacific bluefin tuna Thunnus orientalis in the Sea of Japan. Juveniles were collected at the stations where ambient water temperature (mean water temperature from surface to 30 m deep, WT₀₋₃₀) was 23.4–25.9°C, and most of them were found in waters where WT₀₋₃₀ was higher than 24°C. Sampled juveniles ranged 108–280 mm fork length. Based on otolith analysis, they were estimated to grow to approximately 180 and 250 mm at 60 and 90 days old, respectively, and showed similar growth to that of Atlantic bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean Sea. The back-calculated hatch date of the samples was mostly in July and most juveniles spawned in the Sea of Japan.     

Effect of water temperature on gonadal development and emaciation of Japanese common squid <Emphasis Type="Italic">Todarodes pacificus</Emphasis> (Ommastrephidae)

ABSTRACT:   In this study, the site of spawning ground and the relationship between oceanographic conditions and gonadal development and emaciation of the Japanese common squid Todarodes pacificus were examined based on data from research cruises. The research cruises were conducted in the south-western part of the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea in the winter of 1999. Sea surface temperature (SST) ranged 12.7–23.2°C in the survey area. Mature females concentrated on the continental shelf of the East China Sea, suggesting a major spawning ground was formed in this area. Gonadal development of the collected squid was examined using ovary somatic index (OSI) and oviduct somatic index (ODSI) in females, and emaciation was examined using mantle muscle somatic index (MI) and hepatosomatic index (HSI). Mean OSI and ODSI increased with SST at the stations where SST was greater than 15°C, particularly where SST ranged between 15 and 18°C. In contrast, mean MI and HSI decreased with increase in SST at the stations where SST was above 15°C. These results indicate that female gonads develop rapidly at SST above 15°C, and at the same time adult squids tend to be emaciated at this temperature condition.     

Induced thermotolerance and expression of heat shock protein 70 in sea cucumber <Emphasis Type="Italic">Apostichopus japonicus</Emphasis>

ABSTRACT:   Thermal limits, induced thermotolerance and the expression of heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) in an echinoderm Apostichopus japonicus were studied. The sublethal and lethal temperatures for the juveniles were 30 and 34°C, respectively; a previous sublethal heat shock exposure (30°C, 2 h) could increase the survival rates of the sea cucumbers when they were exposed to 34°C. This induced thermotolerance could last for at least 2 days. Levels of Hsp70 increased substantially after sublethal heat shock exposure and linearly decreased with time. This result indicated that a close relationship existed between the induction of thermotolerance and the levels of Hsp70 in A. japonicus.     

Japanese nephropid lobster <Emphasis Type="Italic">Metanephrops japonicus</Emphasis> lacks zoeal stage

ABSTRACT:   Larvae of the Japanese nephropid lobster Metanephrops japonicus hatched in the laboratory were reared at 15°C, and the development and feeding were observed. All larvae hatched at the 'prezoea stage' with no natatory setae on the exopodite of the pereiopods. Without feeding, 50% of prezoea molted into the megalopa stage, having small buds as the exopodite, within 1 h and all molted within 22 h. The megalopa fed with Artemia nauplii, shrimp meat and pelleted food molted into the first juvenile stage with no exopodite after approximately 17 days. The average carapace lengths of prezoea, megalopa and the first juvenile stage were 3.2, 3.6 and 4.4 mm, respectively. The survival rate from hatching to the first juvenile stage was high (90–100%). This lobster may be the only known nephropid species with no zoeal stage.     

Effects of temperature and salinity on oxygen consumption and ammonia excretion of juvenile miiuy croaker, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Miichthys miiuy</Emphasis> (Basilewsky)

The metabolic responses of the juvenile Miichthys miiuy in terms of oxygen consumption and ammonia excretion to changes in temperature (6–25°C) and salinity (16–31 ppt) were investigated. At a constant salinity of 26 ppt, the oxygen consumption rate (OCR) of the fish increased with an increase in temperature and ranged between 133.38 and 594.96 μg O₂ h⁻¹ g⁻¹ DW. The effect of temperature on OCR was significant (P < 0.01). Q₁₀ coefficients were 6.80, 1.41, 1.29 and 2.36 at temperatures of 6–10, 10–15, 15–20 and 20–25°C, respectively, suggesting that the juveniles of M. miiuy will be well adapted to the field temperature in the summer, but not in the winter. The ammonium excretion rates (AER) of the fish were also affected significantly by temperature (P < 0.01). The O:N ratio at temperatures of 6, 10, 15 and 20°C ranged from 13.12 to 20.91, which was indicative of a protein-dominated metabolism, whereas the O:N at a temperature of 25°C was 51.37, suggesting that protein-lipids were used as an energy substrate. At a constant temperature of 15°C, the OCRs of the fish ranged between 334.14 (at 31 ppt) and 409.68 (at 16 ppt) μg O₂ h⁻¹ g⁻¹ DW. No significant differences were observed in the OCR and AER of the juveniles between salinities of 26 and 31 ppt (P > 0.05). The OCR and AER at 16 ppt were, however, significantly higher than those at 26 and 31 ppt (P < 0.05), indicating salinity lower than 16 ppt is presumably stressful to M. miiuy juveniles.     

Induction of diploid gynogenesis in turbot <Emphasis Type="Italic">Scophthalmus maximus</Emphasis> with left-eyed flounder <Emphasis Type="Italic">Paralichthys olivaceus</Emphasis> sperm

Turbot Scophthalmus maximus exhibits sexually dimorphic growth, with females growing faster and reaching larger adult sizes than males. Thus, development of techniques for preferentially producing females is necessary to optimize production of these species. In this paper, gynogenetic diploids of turbot were induced by activating egg development with ultraviolet (UV)-irradiated left-eyed flounder Paralichthys olivaceus sperm combined with cold shock to prevent extrusion of the second polar body. The results of UV irradiation experiments showed that survival, motility, and duration of activity of P. olivaceus sperm generally decreased with increase in UV dose. The typical Hertwig’s effect was observed after fertilized turbot eggs with UV-irradiated P. olivaceus sperm and the optimal UV dose for gynogenetic haploid production was 36,000 erg mm⁻². At 15°C, appropriate timing of cold shock for retention of the second polar body in turbot eggs was at 6 min after fertilization. Results of different combinations of two shock temperatures (1 or 3°C) and four shock durations (15, 25, 35 or 45 min) at 6 min after fertilization demonstrated that shock of 25 min at 1°C gave the highest production of diploid gynogens (39.58% relative to its diploid control). The results of this study reveal that the use of UV-irradiated P. olivaceus sperm for activation of turbot eggs and cold shock for polar body retention is an effective method to produce gynogenetic offspring.     

Age validation and growth variability of Japanese flounder <Emphasis Type="Italic">Paralichthys olivaceus</Emphasis> off the Pacific coast of northern Japan

ABSTRACT:   This study examined age and growth of Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus off the Pacific coast of northern Japan, and determined whether the growth patterns of male and female fish in northern (40–41°N) and southern (37–38°15'N) waters differ. In total 8095 specimens were collected between January 1999 and December 2005. Zonation consisting of opaque and translucent bands on the otolith was evident. Within each opaque band a thin and clear check (ring mark) was observed in all specimens examined. Monthly change in the frequency of appearance of a ring mark on the outer margin of the otolith indicates that ring marks form between July and August. The von Bertalanffy growth model showed a sexual dimorphism in growth, as females grew faster and reached a larger size than males. The growth patterns obtained by tracking the observed total length for monthly collections showed a rapid increase in total length between August and October. Spatial variation in the growth pattern of male and female fish between northern and southern waters was evident, as southern fish were significantly larger than northern counterparts during 1.25–3.00 years post hatch.     

Multigenerational effects of 17β-estradiol and nonylphenol on euryhaline cladoceran <Emphasis Type="Italic">Diaphanosoma celebensis</Emphasis>

ABSTRACT:     The effects of parental exposure to 17β-estradiol (E2) and 4-nonylphenol (4-NP) on life history parameters of three successive generations of the euryhaline cladoceran Diaphanosoma celebensis were assessed under laboratory conditions. Less than 24-h-old neonates (P) were exposed to five sublethal concentrations of E2 (0.1, 1, 10, 100 and 1000 μg/L) and 4-NP (0.01, 0.1, 1, 10 and 50 μg/L) at 25°C. Age at first reproduction, reproductive period, fecundity and lifespan were investigated. Successive generations (F₁–F₃) were monitored further in the absence of toxicants. Results showed that cladocerans exposed to 10–1000 μg/L E2 produced more neonates at a younger age compared to the control. The same effects were also observed in the F₁ and F₂ but ceased in F₃. Cladocerans exposed to 1 μg/L 4-NP also produced significantly more neonates compared to the control, but this effect was not found in successive generations. The results suggest that vertebrate hormone can modify the reproduction of D. celebensis , and the effects are multigenerational.     

Effects of capture,loading density and transport stress on the mortality,physiological responses,bacterial density and growth of rohu <Emphasis Type="Italic">Labeo</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic"> rohita</Emphasis> fingerlings

This study evaluated the effects of three levels of loading density (200, 300 and 400 g L⁻¹) and four levels of duration (1, 3, 6 and 9 h) on the mortality, plasma cortisol and chloride levels and growth of rohu Labeo rohita fingerlings in a transport simulation. While total immediate mortality was low (4–12%), delayed mortality was high (27–49%). Initial capture and handling were found to constitute the most stressful phase as indicated by elevated plasma cortisol. The levels of cortisol continued to rise at 6 and 9 h after transport, with the highest level observed at 9 h after transport. The level of plasma chloride fell after transport across all density levels and treatment durations. Specific growth rate (SGR, %/day) and total bacterial density (cfu/g) were not different between and within treatments, and between treatments and the controls. This study demonstrates that transport has a profound effect on the stress responses of rohu fingerlings. Although the level of immediate mortality was low, the higher level of delayed mortality has serious implications in terms of production inefficiency for grow-out farmers.     

Tench (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Tinca tinca</Emphasis> L.) larvae rearing under controlled conditions: density and basic supply of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Artemia</Emphasis> nauplii as the sole food

After artificial reproduction of tench, larvae must be maintained indoors, and studies on rearing conditions are needed, focussing on the reduction of labour and costs. Three experiments on larvae (5th day post-hatch) were conducted for 25 days using Artemia nauplii as the sole food in order to determine basic feeding and density conditions during the first rearing period. Tench were maintained in 25 l fibreglass tanks, supplied with an artesian water flow throughout of 0.2 l min⁻¹. Water temperature was 22.5 ± 1°C, and the photoperiod was natural. Larvae fed on a restricted amount of nauplii reached high survival rates, even with the minimum of 50 nauplii larva⁻¹ day⁻¹. This amount of food may be sufficient at least for the first 25 days of exogenous feeding if fast growth is not the priority, and high densities can be maintained with good survival rates (over 90% up to 160 larvae l⁻¹ and 77% with 320 larvae l⁻¹). When food was supplied in excess once a day, high survival rates were achieved (91–97%), without differences among the densities tested. Animals at a density of 100 l⁻¹ reached the highest length (15.57 mm) and individual weight (46.8 mg). This growth is greater than those reported in studies feeding several times a day. It could be deduced that, while live food remains available for tench, it is not necessary to feed so frequently. Considering the relationship among the initial number of animals, final survival and growth and ration supplied, the new data reported here are useful to establish suitable stocking densities under both culture and experimental conditions.     

Difference in the level of paralytic shellfish poisoning toxin accumulation between the crabs <Emphasis Type="Italic">Telmessus acutidens</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Charybdis japonica</Emphasis> collected in Onahama,Fukushima Prefecture

ABSTRACT:     The difference in paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxin accumulation in the crabs Telmessus acutidens and Charybdis japonica was investigated at Onahama, Fukushima Prefecture, from 2002 to 2005. The level of toxin accumulation in the hepatopancreas of T. acutidens corresponded to that of mussels when examined on a yearly basis. In 2003, some crabs had a high toxicity of approximately 1000 MU, which compares to one-third of the human minimum lethal dose. Therefore T. acutidens should be monitored as a vector species of PSP toxin. The toxin profile of T. acutidens was also investigated. Because an increase in highly toxic species of PSP toxins with a decrease in low toxic species, such as N -sulfocarbamoyl-11-hydroxysulfate toxins, was not clearly observed between consecutive samples, toxin transformation in T. acutidens was considered to have a minimal impact on toxicity. PSP toxins were also detected in several specimens of C. japonica , but the highest toxicity was only 7.4 MU/g in the hepatopancreas. Because C. japonica is widely distributed in the coastal waters of Japan, investigation of toxin accumulation in the crab should be continued, including its investigation in different areas of water from Onahama, where the causative dinoflagellates of PSP occur in different conditions.     

Supplemental effect of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Porphyra</Emphasis> spheroplasts on the growth and feed utilization of black sea bream

ABSTRACT:   A 56-day feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of Porphyra spheroplasts (PS) as a feed additive on growth, carcass composition and feed utilization of black sea bream. Four experimental diets with or without PS (0, 1, 3, 5% inclusion level) were formulated to determine the proper incorporation level for best growth and utilization using white fishmeal as the principal protein source. Three replicate groups of fish averaging 1.28 ± 0.05 g (mean ± SD) were maintained in flow-through thermo-controlled sea water (32–34 psu, 25°C) aquaria (100 L) under the laboratory conditions (L12 : D12) and fed three times a day at 09:00, 13:00 and 17:00 hours by hand at approximately 3% body weight on each diet. The rearing trial revealed that growth performance (in terms of weight gain, specific growth rate) are almost the same level in all the dietary groups, nevertheless the survival, nutrient utilizations and retentions (feed efficiency, protein efficiency ratio, protein retention rate, lipid retention rate) were significantly higher ( P  < 0.05) in a group fed on the diet containing 3% spheroplasts. Further, the fish fed on the diet containing PS had significantly higher ( P  < 0.05) crude lipid level in their dorsal muscles and viscera. The fish fed a PS-based diet showed higher level of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in viscera and DHA in dorsal muscles. The results obtained in this feeding trial suggest that the optimum dietary PS supplementation level up to 3% for black sea bream can be considered as improved consequence on growth performance, nutrient utilization or body composition were noticed.