Development of a pelleted feed for juvenile tropical spiny lobster (Panulirus ornatus): response to dietary protein and lipid

Critical to the development of a cost‐effective feed for the tropical spiny lobster Panulirus ornatus is knowledge of its response to the protein and lipid (or energy) content of the feed. An experiment of 12 weeks duration was carried out to examine growth responses of juvenile lobsters to pelleted diets that provided six crude protein (CP) levels [320–600 g kg^?1 dry matter (DM)] and two lipid levels (nominally 60 and 100 g kg^?1 DM). Lobsters (mean initial weight of 1.8 g) were held in groups of nine or 10 animals in 24 × 350 L tanks, fed twice daily at a restricted level, and maintained at 28 °C. Maximal growth responses occurred at dietary CP contents of 474 g kg^?1 for the 60 g kg^?1 lipid series and 533 g kg^?1 for the 100 g kg^?1 lipid series. A second experiment, of 4 weeks duration, compared two dietary treatments: a mixture of two of the best diets from the first experiment, and a commercial shrimp (Penaeus japonicus) feed. Lobsters were held under the same experimental conditions as in the first experiment, but were fed to excess twice daily. Their growth was significantly greater (P < 0.05) on the shrimp feed (0.68 g week^?1) than on the laboratory‐pelleted diets used in the main study (0.32 g week^?1). The results indicate that the optimal dietary protein and lipid content of the diet for P. ornatus is about 530 and 100 g kg^?1, respectively.     

Polka-dot grouper, Cromileptes altivelis, can utilize dietary fat efficiently

Polka‐dot grouper, Cromileptes altivelis, a highly‐prized fish in Asian live fish markets, is a slow‐growing species. Long‐chain (LCF) or medium‐chain fatty acids (MCF) were fed to polka‐dot grouper (14 g initial weight) for 8 weeks to see if growth could be stimulated. Five dietary treatments were compared: a control diet with low fat (56 g kg^?1) or diets that contained either moderate (150 g kg^?1) or high (300 g kg^?1) supplements of fat that were added either as olive oil for the LCF or coconut oil for the MCF. Control fish performed well; they grew at 2.2 g week^?1, had a dry matter feed conversion ratio of 1.0 and deposited dietary protein and energy at efficiencies of 25 and 26%. Fish fed LCF at moderate levels performed better than controls but, when fed LCF at high levels or MCF at any level, their performance was inferior to controls. We conclude that dietary supplementation with 150 g kg^?1 of LCF stimulates growth and improves protein retention of polka‐dot grouper whereas higher levels, or the same or higher levels of MCF, depress performance.     

Optimal dietary protein requirement of grouper Epinephelus coioides juveniles fed isoenergetic diets in floating net cages

An experiment to determine the optimal protein requirement of grouper Epinephelus coioides juveniles was conducted in floating net cages (1.5 m × 1 m × 1.5 m). Six isoenergetic fishmeal–casein‐based experimental diets containing 350–600 g kg^?1 crude protein (CP) were fed to triplicate groups of 20 fish (10.7 ± 0.2 g) for 56 days. Weight gain (WG) and specific growth rate (SGR) increased with increasing dietary protein level from 350 to 450 g kg^?1 and then plateaued above these levels. Feed intake (FI) showed no significant difference among fish fed more than 350 g kg^?1 CP. Lowest feed conversion ratio (FCR) was found for fish fed 500 g kg^?1 CP but this was not significantly different from that of fish fed the 450 and 600 g kg^?1 CP. Lowest protein efficiency ratio (PER) was found for fish fed 550 and 600 g kg^?1 CP. Fish fed the 600 g kg^?1 CP had the highest body protein and moisture contents but the lowest body lipid content. Body ash content was unaffected by protein level for fish fed >400 g kg^?1 CP. Dietary protein level had no significant effect on hepatosomatic index (HSI). Fish fed the 350 g kg^?1 CP had significantly lower condition factor (CF) and viscerosomatic index (VSI). Based on broken‐line regression analysis of SGR the optimal dietary protein requirement for E. coioides juveniles was determined to be close to 480 g kg^?1.     

Quantitative l-lysine requirement of juvenile grouper Epinephelus coioides

An 8‐week feeding trial was conducted to determine the quantitative lysine requirement of juvenile grouper Epinephelus coioides (initial mean weight: 15.84 ± 0.23 g, mean ± SD) in eighteen 500‐L indoors flow‐through circular fibreglass tanks provided with sand‐filtered aerated seawater by feeding diets containing six levels of l ‐lysine ranging from 19.2 to 39.5 g kg^?1 dry diet in 4 g kg^?1 increments. The diets, in which 250 g crude protein kg^?1 diet came from fish meal and soybean protein concentrate, and 230 g kg^?1 from crystalline amino acids, were formulated to simulate the amino acid profile of 480 g kg^?1 whole chicken egg protein except for lysine. Each diet was assigned to three tanks in a completely randomized design. Grouper were fed to apparent satiation twice daily during the week and once daily on weekends. Weight gain and specific growth rate increased with increasing levels of dietary lysine up to 27.2 g kg^?1 (P < 0.05) and remained nearly the same thereafter (P > 0.05). Feed efficiency was the poorest for fish fed the lowest lysine diet (P < 0.05) and showed no significant differences among other treatments (P > 0.05). Survival could not be related to dietary treatments. Body composition remained relatively constant except for lipid contents in muscle and liver. Total essential amino acid contents in liver increased with dietary lysine level although there was a slight decline for fish fed the highest lysine level of diet. Plasma protein content increased with increasing dietary lysine level (P < 0.05), but cholesterol, triacylglycerol and glucose contents were more variable and could not be related to dietary treatments. Dietary lysine level significantly influenced morphometrical parameters (condition factor, hepatosomatic index and intraperitoneal fat ratio) of juvenile grouper (P > 0.05). Broken‐line analysis of weight gain indicated the dietary lysine requirement of juvenile grouper to be 28.3 g kg^?1 diet or 55.6 g kg^?1 dietary protein.     

Optimal dietary lipid level for large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea) larvae

A 30‐day feeding experiment was conducted in blue tanks (70 × 50 × 60 cm, water volume 180 L) to determine the effects of dietary lipid levels on the survival, growth and body composition of large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea) larvae (12 days after hatchery, with initial average weight 1.93 ± 0.11 mg). Five practical microdiets, containing 83 g kg^?1 (Diet 1), 126 g kg^?1 (Diet 2), 164 g kg^?1 (Diet 3), 204 g kg^?1 (Diet 4) and 248 g kg^?1 lipid (Diet 5), were formulated. Live feeds (Artemia sinicia nauplii and live copepods) were used as the control diet (Diet 6). Each diet was randomly assigned to triplicate groups of tanks, and each tank was stocked with 3500 larvae. During the experiment, water temperature was maintained at 23(±1) °C, pH 8.0 (±0.2) and salinity 25 (±2) g L^?1. The results showed that dietary lipid significantly influenced the survival and growth of large yellow croaker larvae. Survival increased with the increase of dietary lipid from 83 to 164 g kg^?1, and then decreased. The survival of larvae fed the diet with 83 g kg^?1 lipid (16.1%) was significantly lower than that of larvae fed other diets. However, the survival in larvae fed the diet with 16.4 g kg^?1 lipid was the highest compared with other artificial microdiets. Specific growth rate (SGR) significantly increased with increasing dietary lipid level from 83 to 164 g kg^?1 (P < 0.05), and then decreased. The SGR in larvae fed the diet with 164 g kg^?1 lipid (10.0% per day) was comparable with 204 g kg^?1 lipid (9.6% per day), but were significantly higher than other microdiets (P < 0.05). On the basis of survival and SGR, the optimum dietary lipid level was estimated to be 172 and 177 g kg^?1 of diet using second‐order polynomial regression analysis respectively.     

Growth and body composition of juvenile white shrimp,Litopenaeus vannamei,fed different ratios of dietary protein to energy

A 10‐week feeding experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of different protein to energy ratios on growth and body composition of juvenile Litopenaeus vannamei (initial average weight of 0.09 ± 0.002 g, mean ± SE). Twelve practical test diets were formulated to contain four protein levels (300, 340, 380 and 420 g kg^?1) and three lipid levels (50, 75 and 100 g kg^?1). Each diet was randomly fed to triplicate groups of 30 shrimps per tank (260 L). The water temperature was 28.5 ± 2 °C and the salinity was 28 ± 1 g L^?1 during the experimental period. The results showed that the growth was significantly (P < 0.05) affected by dietary treatments. Shrimps fed the diets containing 300 g kg^?1 protein showed the poorest growth. However, shrimp fed the 75 g kg^?1 lipid diets had only slightly higher growth than that fed 50 g kg^?1 lipid diets at the same dietary protein level, and even a little decline in growth with the further increase of dietary lipid to 100 g kg^?1. Shrimp fed the diet with 420 g kg^?1protein and 75 g kg^?1 lipid had the highest specific growth rate. However, shrimp fed the diet with 340 g kg^?1 protein and 75 g kg^?1 lipid showed comparable growth, and had the highest protein efficiency ratio, energy retention and feed efficiency ratio among dietary treatments. Triglycerides and total cholesterol in the serum of shrimp increased with increasing dietary lipid level at the same dietary protein level. Body lipid and energy increased with increasing dietary lipid level irrespective of dietary protein. Results of the present study showed that the diet containing 340 g kg^?1 protein and 75 g kg^?1 lipid with digestible protein/digestible energy of 21.1 mg kJ^?1 is optimum for L. vannamei, and the increase of dietary lipid level has not efficient protein‐sparing effect.     

Effects of dietary protein to energy ratios on growth and body composition of juvenile Chinese sucker,Myxocyprinus asiaticus

A growth experiment was conducted to investigate effect of dietary protein to energy ratios on growth and body composition of juvenile Myxocyprinus asiaticus (initial mean weight: 10.04 ± 0.53 g, mean ± SD). Nine practical diets were formulated to contain three protein levels (340, 390 and 440 g kg^?1), each with three lipid levels (60, 100 and 140 g kg^?1), in order to produce a range of P/E ratios (from 22.4 to 32.8 mg protein kJ^?1). Each diet was randomly assigned to triplicate groups of 20 fish in 400‐L indoors flow‐through circular fibre glass tanks provided with sand‐filtered aerated freshwater. The results showed that the growth was significantly affected by dietary P/E ratio (P < 0.05). Fish fed the diets with 440 g kg^?1 protein (100 and 140 g kg^?1 lipid, P/E ratio of 31.43 and 29.22 mg protein kJ^?1) had the highest specific growth rates (SGR) (2.16 and 2.27% day^?1, respectively). However, fish fed the diet with 390 g kg^?1 protein and 140 g kg^?1 lipid showed comparable growth (2.01% day^?1), and had higher protein efficiency ratio (PER), protein productive value (PPV) and energy retention (ER) than other groups (P < 0.05). No significant differences in survival were found among dietary treatments. Carcass lipid content was positively correlated with dietary lipid level, but irrespective of protein level and inversely correlated with carcass moisture content. Carcass protein contents increased with increasing dietary lipid at each protein level. The white muscle and liver composition showed that lipid increased with increasing dietary lipid level (P < 0.05). Dietary protein concentrations had significant effect on condition factor (CF), hepatosomatic index (HSI) and viscerosomatic index (VSI) (P < 0.05). However, dietary lipid concentrations had no significant effect on CF, HSI (P > 0.05). Based on these observations, 440 g kg^?1 protein with lipid from 100 to 140 g kg^?1 (P/E ratio of 29.22 to 31.43 mg protein kJ^?1) seemed to meet minimum requirement for optimal growth and feed utilization, and lipid could cause protein‐sparing effect in diets for juvenile Chinese sucker.     

Optimum dietary crude protein level for growth in South African abalone (Haliotis midae L.)

A 95‐day feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary crude protein level on total body weight gain and protein gain of juvenile (4.89 ± 0.57 g) South African abalone (Haliotis midae). Six semi‐purified diets containing casein, fish meal and cottonseed meal as protein sources, and with crude protein levels ranging from 54.8 to 479.2 g kg^?1 dry matter (DM), were fed to four tanks containing 30 abalone each in a continuous flow system. No differences (P > 0.05) were found in moisture, ash or lipid content of soft‐body tissue as dietary crude protein level increased, indicating that differences (P < 0.05) in soft‐body protein content were solely due to dietary crude protein level. The relationships between dietary crude protein level and total body weight gain and protein gain were analysed by broken‐line and second‐order polynomial regression models. Based on total body weight gain, 358.7 g kg^?1 DM dietary protein from good quality sources is recommended for maximum growth of juvenile H. midae, while, if dietary protein is reduced to 280.7 g kg^?1 DM, growth will be depressed with 5 g kg^?1.     

Incorporation of a mixture of meat and bone meal,poultry by‐product meal,blood meal and corn gluten meal as a replacement for fish meal in practical diets of Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei at two dietary protein levels

A 6‐week feeding trial was carried out in glass tanks to determine the effects of partial replacement of fish meal (FM) with a combination of meat and bone meal (MBM), poultry by‐product meal (PBM), blood meal (BM) and corn gluten meal (CGM) in practical diets on the growth, nutrient digestibility and body composition of Pacific white shrimp. Six practical diets were formulated, containing two levels of crude protein (CP) (330 and 380 g kg^?1) and similar crude lipid (CL) levels. For the 330 g kg^?1 dietary protein level, 0, 357 and 714 g kg^?1 FM were replaced by the mixture in Diets 1–3, respectively; while 0, 514 and 784 g kg^?1 FM were replaced in Diets 4–6, respectively, for 380 g kg^?1 dietary protein level. White shrimp‐fed diets containing 330 g kg^?1 CP had significantly lower weight gain compared with white shrimp fed diets containing 380 g kg^?1 CP. Increasing the mixture and dietary protein level significantly raised the body ash content of white shrimp. White shrimp fed a low‐protein diet obtained better nutrient digestibility compared with those fed a high‐protein diet.     

Effect of dietary protein and lipid levels and protein–energy ratio on growth indices, feed utilization and body composition of freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii (de Man 1879) post larvae

A grow‐out experiment was designed to determine the effect of different dietary protein, lipid levels and protein–energy (P:E) ratio on growth performance and feed utilization of the freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii post larvae (PL) culture in pond net enclosures (hapa, 3.75 m^?3 each) for 12 weeks (84 days). The experimental treatments were assigned in triplicate. Six test diets were formulated to contain three different protein levels (300, 350 and 400 g kg^?1 diet) and two lipid levels (100 and 140 g kg^?1 diet) in a factorial manner (3 × 2) to provided six different dietary P:E ratio: 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 mg CP kJ^?1 g^?1). The result showed that the highest significant (P≤0.05) survival rate, growth indices and feed utilization were observed for M. rosenbergii PL fed a diet with a P:E ratio of 17 mg CP kJ^?1 g¹, whereas, the lowest value was recorded for prawns fed a diet with a P:E ratio of 20 mg CP kJ^?1 g^?1. Whole body contents of protein and lipid were highest (P≤0.05) when fed diets with 21 and 17 mg CP kJ^?1 g^?1 respectively. Concerning dietary protein levels, the highest (P≤0.05) values for survival and growth indices were observed for PL fed a diet containing 300 g kg^?1 diet protein. The same trend was observed for PL fed a diet with 100 g kg^?1 diet lipid level, irrespective of dietary protein levels. A diet containing 300 g kg^?1 protein and 100 g kg^?1 lipid with a dietary P:E ratio of 17 mg CP kJ g^?1 is recommended to stimulate growth performance and nutrients utilization efficiency of M. rosenbergii PL.     

Response of the tropical spiny lobster Panulirus ornatus to protein content of pelleted feed and to a diet of mussel flesh

In an 8‐week growth experiment, juvenile spiny lobsters (Panulirus ornatus) grew best on a feed containing at least 610 g kg^?1 crude protein on a dry matter basis (DM) and a digestible protein to digestible energy ratio of 29.8 mg kJ^?1. The study entailed a six treatment by four replicate randomized block experiment with 222 wild‐caught P. ornatus of mean initial weight (±SD) of 2.5 ± 0.19 g. The lobsters were fed one of five isolipidic feeds (approximately 130 g kg^?1 DM) in which the crude protein was serially incremented between 330 and 610 g kg^?1 DM, or a reference diet comprising the flesh of frozen green‐lip mussels. Lobsters fed the pelleted feeds had high survival (79 ± 4.5%) and responded to increasing dietary crude protein content with progressively higher growth rates, with the daily growth coefficient improving from 0.72% day^?1 with 330 g kg^?1 crude protein to 1.38% day^?1 with 610 g kg^?1 crude protein. Both growth rate and survival were low with the mussel diet (0.80% day^?1and 41 ± 4.5%, respectively). These results demonstrate that tropical spiny lobsters grow well when fed high‐protein, high lipid, pelleted feeds, but feeding on a sole diet of freshly thawed green‐lip mussels was unsatisfactory.     

Optimum protein-to-energy ratio for two size groups of rabbitfish, Siganus canaliculatus (Park)

Three approximately isoenergetic (17 kJ g^?1) diets were formulated with dietary protein levels of 270, 360 and 480 g kg^?1 (DM basis) providing protein-to-energy ratios of 15.69, 20.48 and 27.16 mg crude protein (CP) kJ^?1, respectively. The effects of these diets on several growth and nutritional parameters were evaluated for the fry (2.50 ± 0.184 g) and fingerlings (11.53 ± 0.023 g) of Siganus canaliculatus (Park). Maximum growth and best feed utilization efficiency of fry were obtained using the diet containing 480 g kg^?1 protein and P:E ratio of 27.16 mg CP kJ^?1. For fingerlings the best results were obtained with the diet containing 360 g kg^?1 protein and P:E ratio of 20.48 mg CP kJ. Body composition of the fry was not affected by the feeding regime whilst the effect was evident in the fingerling groups. The carcass protein content of the fingerling was observed to increase with increasing P:E ratios while lipid content decreased as P:E increased.     

Protein requirement of silver barb, Puntius gonionotus fingerlings

Five iso‐energetic (15.05 MJ kg^?1) semi‐purified diets with graded levels of crude protein, i.e. 200 (D‐1), 250 (D‐2), 300 (D‐3), 350 (D‐4) and 400 (D‐5) g kg^?1 diet were fed to Puntius gonionotus fingerlings (average weight 0.88 ± 0.03 g) in triplicate groups (15 healthy fish per replicate) for a period of 90 days to determine the optimum protein requirement of the fish. Fifteen flow‐through cement tanks of 100‐L capacity with a flow rate of 0.5 L min^?1 were used for rearing the fish. Specific growth rate (SGR), food conversion (food gain) ratio (FCR), nutrient digestibility and retention, digestive enzyme activity, RNA : DNA ratio and tissue composition were used as response parameters with respect to dietary protein levels and feed intake. The mean weight gains of fish after 90 days were 10.84 ± 0.27, 11.07 ± 0.12, 14.09 ± 0.20, 11.27 ± 0.12 and 10.91 ± 0.25 g for D‐1, D‐2, D‐3, D‐4 and D‐5, respectively. Maximum SGR (3.13 ± 0.02% per day), RNA : DNA ratio (10.09 ± 0.09), tissue protein content (160 ± 0.1 g kg^?1 wet weight), protease activity (25.27 ± 0.47 μg of leucine liberated mg tissue per protein h^?1 at 37 °C) and minimum FCR (1.60 ± 0.02) was found in D‐3 group fed with 300 g kg^?1 protein level. All these parameters were negatively affected with the further increase in protein level in the diet. Digestibility of protein, lipid and energy was not affected because of variation in dietary protein levels and nitrogen intake of fish. Maximum energy retention (27.68 ± 0.12%) was recorded at 300 g kg^?1 dietary crude protein fed group. However, using broken line regression analysis, the maximum growth was found to be at 317.7 g kg^?1 dietary protein. Hence, it may be concluded that the protein requirement of P. gonionotus fingerling is 317.7 g kg^?1 diet with a resultant P/E ratio of 21.1 g protein MJ^?1.     

Effects of dietary protein and lipid levels with different protein‐to‐energy ratios on growth performance,feed utilization and body composition of juvenile red‐spotted grouper,Epinephelus akaara

An 8‐week feeding trial was conducted to assess dietary protein and lipid levels on growth performance, feed utilization and body composition of juvenile red‐spotted grouper (7.85 ± 0.03 g fish^?1). Nine semi‐purified diets were formulated containing varying protein levels (440–520 g kg^?1, dry matter) and lipid levels (60–120 g kg^?1, dry matter). The weight gain of juvenile Epinephelus akaara was affected by dietary protein (p = .005) and its interaction with dietary lipid (p = .020). Viscerosomatic index, intraperitoneal fat ratio and whole‐body lipid level increased with increasing dietary lipid level (p < .001). Nitrogen retention was not affected by dietary protein and lipid, while lipid retention decreased with increasing dietary lipid level (p < .001). The plasma blood urea nitrogen increased with increasing dietary protein level (p = .003). This study showed that diet with 520 g kg^?1 protein and 60 g kg^?1 lipid with 30.58 mg kJ^?1 P:E provided a maximal growth for this species. Moreover, an increase in dietary lipid levels (from 60 to 90 g kg^?1) could reduce the protein requirement (from 520 to 480 g kg^?1) without affecting the growth performance, while higher fat deposition was observed in fish fed high‐lipid diets.     

Growth performance and body composition of pacu Piaractus mesopotamicus (Holmberg 1887) in response to dietary protein and energy levels

Improper dietary protein and energy levels and their ratio will lead to increased fish production cost. This work evaluated effects of dietary protein : energy ratio on growth and body composition of pacu, Piaractus mesopotamicus. Fingerling pacu (15.5 ± 0.4 g) were fed twice a day for 10 weeks until apparent satiation with diets containing 220, 260, 300, 340 or 380 g kg^?1 crude protein (CP) and 10.9, 11.7, 12.6, 13.4 or 14.2 MJ kg^?1 digestible energy (DE) in a totally randomized experimental design, 5 × 5 factorial scheme (n = 3). Weight gain, specific growth rate increased and feed conversion ratio (FCR) decreased significantly (P < 0.05) when CP increased from 220 to 271, 268 and 281 g kg^?1 respectively. Pacu was able to adjust feed consumption in a wide range of dietary DE concentration. Fish fed 260 CP diets showed best (P < 0.05) protein efficiency ratio and FCR with 11.7–12.6 MJ kg^?1; but for the 380 CP‐diets group, significant differences were observed only at 14.2 MJ kg^?1 dietary energy level, suggesting that pacu favours protein as energy source. DE was the chief influence on whole body chemical composition. Minimum dietary protein requirement of pacu is 270 g kg^?1, with an optimum CP : DE of 22.2 g MJ^?1.     

Effects of dietary choline on growth performance,lipid deposition and hepatic lipid transport of grouper (Epinephelus coioides)

The number of 360 individuals with an average initial weight of 87.8 ± 0.04 g was fed six diets containing graded levels of choline at 8.1 (control group), 602.5, 1119.0, 1511.5, 1970.0 and 4029.0 mg choline kg^?1 diet, respectively, to investigate the effects of dietary choline on growth performance, lipid deposition and hepatic lipid transport for grouper, Epinephelus coioides. Dietary methionine was estimated to be 10.02 g kg^?1, less than the requirement (13.10 g kg^?1). The results of 10‐week study period indicated that the best values of specific growth rate (SGR), feed conversion rate (FCR) and protein efficiency rate (PER) all occurred in 1119.0 mg choline kg^?1 diet (P < 0.05). The survival range increased from 8.1 to 1511.5 mg choline kg^?1 diet and then plateaued. Dietary choline supplementation significantly decreased the liver lipid content of grouper (P < 0.05), but the lipid content of the muscle tended to be increased firstly and then decreased (P < 0.05). Liver choline concentration reached a plateau in 1511.5 mg choline kg^?1 diet and then levelled off (P < 0.05). Serum high density lipoprotein‐cholesterol (HDL‐C) and total cholesterol (TCHO) levels were firstly decreased and then increased with dietary choline supplementation. A reversed tendency, however, was found in triglyceride. Broken‐line regression analysis of SGR and liver choline content indicated that choline requirement of grouper was 1093.7 and 1579.7 mg kg^?1 diet, respectively.     

Effect of different dietary protein and lipid levels on growth and survival of juvenile Australian redclaw crayfish, Cherax quadricarinatus (von Martens)

This study determined the effect of different dietary protein and lipid levels on growth and survival of juvenile redclaw Cherax quadricarinatus. Nine practical test diets were formulated to contain three crude protein (CP) levels [260, 310 and 360 g kg^?1, equivalent to 225, 260 and 296 g kg^?1 digestible protein (DP) respectively] at three crude lipid (CL) levels (40, 80 and 120 g kg^?1, equivalent to 38, 67 and 103 digestible lipids respectively), with digestible protein : digestible energy (DP : DE) ranging from 14.6 to 22.6 mg protein kJ g^?1. Three replicate groups of 15 crayfish (initial weight mean ± SD, 0.71 ± 0.13 g) per diet treatment were stocked in 40 L tanks, at 28 °C for 60 days. The highest mean weight, specific growth rate and biomass, with values of 7.0 g, 3.67% day^?1, and 370.2 g m^?2, respectively, were achieved by feeding a diet with P : L = 310 : 80 (P < 0.05). The treatments resulted in a survival rate of 80–91%, feed conversion ratio of 1.08–1.61 and protein efficiency ratio of 2.24–3.08. Results indicated that a diet containing 270 g kg^?1 DP (equivalent to 320 g kg^?1 CP), 75 g kg^?1 digestible lipid (DL) with a DP/DE of 18.4 mg protein kJ^?1, and 0.031 g protein per animal per day was optimum for juvenile C. quadricarinatus under the tested experimental conditions.     

Optimum dietary protein and lipid specifications for grow-out of humpback grouper Cromileptes altivelis (Valenciennes)

Fingerling Cromileptes altivelis of less than 50 g have been shown to require feeds of 50–56% crude protein (CP) and 9–15% lipid. The requirements of larger, market‐size fish have not been reported. A total of 324 hatchery‐produced C. altivelis were weight sorted into three groups of 136, 175 and 225 g start weight and equally (12 seacage^?1) and randomly distributed to floating net seacages in accordance with a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement of CP (42%, 47% or 53%; estimated digestible CP of 40%, 46% or 52%) and lipid (8%, 12% or 16%; equivalent to estimated digestible energy (DE) contents of 14.0, 15.8 or 17.5 MJ kg^?1). Changes in dietary CP and lipid content were achieved at the cost of wheat flour by proportionally varying the protein mixture (essentially a 0.62:0.22:0.16 ratio of fish meal, mysid meal and casein respectively) and oil mixture (a 2:1 ratio of fish oil and soybean oil respectively). Fish were fed twice daily to satiation for 180 days. There was no significant (P>0.05) interaction between the main effects of dietary protein and lipid for any growth, nutrient retention or whole‐body composition measurements. Increasing dietary CP significantly improved the survival rate (80.6%, 88.9% and 87.0%), specific growth rate (SGR; 0.24%, 0.28% and 0.31% day^?1), feed conversion ratio (FCR; 2.77, 2.21 and 2.00) and DE retention (18.2, 21.3 and 23.2%), respectively, but did not significantly affect digestible protein retention. Increasing dietary lipid increased SGR (0.25, 0.29 and 0.29% day^?1) and the whole‐body lipid (and energy) composition, and reduced the survival rate (87.0%, 88.9% and 80.6%), respectively, but FCR and retentions of digestible protein and DE were not significantly affected. These results indicate that humpback grouper of 150–400 g require a dietary specification of not less than 51% digestible protein (～53% CP), 10–12% lipid and digestible protein:DE of 31–32 g MJ^?1 for optimal growth.     

Growth and body composition of juvenile largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides in response to dietary protein and energy levels

To determine the dietary protein and energy requirements of juvenile largemouth bass, 1350 feed‐conditioned fishes (average weight 14.46 ± 0.81 g) were stocked in ninety 60‐L cages, set up in 1000‐L tanks at three cages/tank, and fed for 64 days with a dry, extruded feed containing six levels of crude protein (CP) (340–540 g kg^–1, with increases of 40 g kg^–1) and five levels of energy (150.7–171.7 kJ g^–1 feed, with increases of 5.2 kJ). The trial was set up in a 6 × 5 factorial, completely randomized design (n=3). Weight gain (WG), daily feed consumption (DFC), feed conversion rate (FCR), protein efficiency ratio (PER), specific growth rate (SGR), protein and energy retention were recorded and evaluated. There was no interaction between feed energy and protein levels with all parameters evaluated. Data analysis by the broken line method showed that the minimum dietary requirement for maximum daily weight gain of 8.0 g kg^–1 is 435.9 g kg^–1 CP; the best feed conversion ratio (1.04:1) was attained with a minimum of 448.2 g kg^–1 CP; a minimum of 162.1 kJ g^–1; DFC was reduced as dietary protein and energy levels increased; dietary levels of 460–500 g kg^–1 CP led to best PER (1.665); best values for protein (33.14 g 100 g^–1) and energy (26.87 g 100 g^–1) retention were observed for fish feeding on the 420 g kg^–1 CP ration. Limits of energy to protein ratio to feed largemouth bass are 25.01 and 26.89 mg protein kJ^–1, enabling feed conversion ratios of 0.96–1.10.     

The effect of protein levels on growth,postprandial excretion and tryptic activity of juvenile mullet Mugil platanus (Günther)

The objective of the present work was to determine the optimum dietary protein level for juvenile mullets. Five isocaloric diets were formulated to contain increasing levels (300, 350, 400, 450 and 500 g kg^?1) of crude protein (CP) corresponding to 18.7 MJ metabolizable energy kg^?1. All diets were tested in triplicate. Each experimental unit was composed of a 50 L tank with 50 juveniles (mean ± SE initial weight and length equal to 1.17 ± 0.02 g and 4.34 ± 0.03 cm respectively). Diets were offered five times a day until apparent satiation for 35 days. No significant difference (P>0.05) was observed in survival rate, feed efficiency and body composition between treatments. However, weight gain, feed consumption and specific growth rate were higher in fish fed the 350 g kg^?1 CP level than those fed the highest protein content diet (500 g kg^?1 CP). The amount of postprandial ammonia excreted by mullet was linearly related to protein intake. Intestinal tryptic activity was inversely proportional to the percentage of dietary CP. It is likely that diets containing <350 g kg^?1 CP will be needed for on‐growing mullet, especially when reared in ponds with abundant natural food.