Broodstock conditioning of the Portuguese oyster (Crassostrea angulata,Lamarck, 1819): influence of different diets

The Portuguese oyster Crassostrea angulata shows great potential in oyster farming. The conservation of pure populations of this species is important for production diversification and biodiversity preservation. In this way, the zootechnological development for seed hatchery production is extremely important. Broodstock conditioning is a key step in the process of rearing bivalves in a hatchery. Many factors regulate the reproductive cycle, being food one of the most important ones. To evaluate the effect of different diets on C. angulata reproductive performance, broodstock were conditioned with different food regimes formulated fundamentally by flagellates (Diet 1 – Pavlova lutheri and Isochrysis galbana clone T‐ISO; Diet 2 – P. lutheri, T‐ISO and Skeletonema costatum) and constituted fundamentally by diatoms (Diet 3 – S. costatum and Chaetoceros calcitrans; Diet 4 – P. lutheri, S. costatum and C. calcitrans). During conditioning, samples of oysters were collected to evaluate condition index, gonadal development and biochemical composition. At the end of the conditioning period, oysters were induced to spawn to evaluate reproductive output (fecundity, fertilization rate and D‐larvae development). The diets had an impact on the gametogenesis process, energy storage and reproductive output performance, being the best results those obtained in broodstock fed with the diatoms‐predominant diets. However, those fed with diets majority flagellates had an unsuccessful performance. Holistic approaches incorporating all results in this study reveal and reinforce the idea that the diatom species used presented the nutritional requirements to C. angulata broodstock, being essential in the conditioning phase.     

低蛋白质氨基酸平衡饲粮对生长猪生长性能和氮素减排的影响研究

试验旨在研究饲喂低蛋白质氨基酸平衡饲粮对生长猪生长性能和氮排泄量的影响,采用单因子完全随机设计,将144头平均体重30 kg左右的杜长大三元杂种生长母猪分成3组,每组设6个重复,每个重复8头猪,对照组饲喂实测粗蛋白质含量为18.10%的普通饲粮,试验1组、试验2组分别饲喂实测粗蛋白质含量为16.08%和14.12%的氨基酸平衡饲粮。试验期37 d,前7 d为预试期,正试期30 d。结果显示,3组日采食量、日增重、料重比指标均没有显著差异(P0.05),而日氮素总排泄量试验1组、试验2组分别比对照组减少18.69%、38.68%,3组之间差异均显著(P0.05),且试验1组、试验2组猪每增重1 kg所需要的饲料成本分别较对照组节省0.11和0.23元。综合考虑,生长猪饲喂低蛋白质氨基酸平衡饲粮,可以作为实现养殖效益与环保双赢的主要技术措施予以推广。     

Study on the adaptability of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) to diets from the perspective of digestion and absorption

As an ecologically sustainable aquaculture mode, the rice‐fish approach has been paid more attention in recent years. In rice paddies, there are plant and animal diet items available to fish, but it is not clear how common carp adapt to different diets. In view of this, common carp (initial weight 492.6 ± 30 g, n = 270) were randomly divided into three groups and fed with earthworms (group A), earthworms + duckweed (group M) and duckweed (group P) respectively. After 8 weeks under these feeding regimes, the intestinal digestive enzymes activities were assayed, and intestinal tissue sections stained with HE and AB‐PAS were used to observe the morphology. The results showed that the activities of trypsin and lipase were highest in group A, followed by group M and group P. Group A had greater intestinal fold height, fold width and fold absorption area than the other groups (p < .05), especially in the foregut. Meanwhile, the total number of mucous cells was largest in group P, followed by the groups M and A. Totally, activities and distributions of digestive enzymes, fold height, fold width, fold absorption area and number and distribution of mucous cells of common carp were affected by the type of diet. Based on these results, it was found that common carp has strong adaptability to diets, and it was speculated that the majority of digestion and absorption of protein was concentrated in the foregut, while for starch and cellulose, it was spread out along the whole intestine.     

The effect of feeding commercial diets on the development of juvenile crucian carp (Carassius carassius,L.). Part 1: Skeletal deformations

The crucian carp (Carassius carassius, L.) is a cyprinid freshwater species, whose wild‐living populations have decreased in recent years due to an increasing competition of invasive species. Several initiatives were launched, attempting to reintroduce this fish back into its native open waters, which requires the use of crucian carp fry grown under controlled conditions. However, the use of popular commercial diets results in severe developmental abnormalities. The aim of this study was to analyse the impact of feeding natural feed (Chironomidae sp. larvae) or two popular commercial diets on the skeletal development of crucian carp juveniles. Whole‐mount staining and histological methods were used in the study. Skeletal tissues of fish fed both commercial diets were demineralized and displayed a variety of deformities, such as abnormal vertebral spines and vertebral fusion, as well as a new type of deformation, which involved the action of dorsal fin pterygiophores upon the spine. Finally, a novel analytical method was proposed, which utilizes LA‐ICP‐MS for the estimation of bone mineralization. The study proved that basic commercial diets are inadequate for the rearing of crucian carp juveniles.     

Growth,partial energy balance,mantle and digestive gland lipid composition of Octopus vulgaris (Cuvier, 1797) fed with two artificial diets

Effects of two binders (gelatine and alginate) were tested on growth, survival, partial energy balance and lipid composition of mantle and digestive gland (DG) of Octopus vulgaris. The three diets tested were given as follows: CON, (Loligo gahi) as control, GEL, composed of squid paste (L. gahi) (300 g kg^?1), fish hydrolyse CPSP^® (100 g kg^?1) and fish meal (500 g kg^?1), agglutinated with 100 g kg^?1 of gelatine and ALG, composed of squid paste (L. gahi) (300 g kg^?1), fish hydrolyse CPSP^® (100 g kg^?1) and fish meal (500 g kg^?1), all agglutinated with 100 g kg^?1 of alginate. Growth rates were 13.7 ± 2.1, 2.1 ± 2.8 and ?2.4 ± 2.9 g kg^?1 bw day^?1, for octopuses fed CON, GEL and ALG diets, respectively. DGs of octopuses had higher concentrations of fatty acids (FA) than the mantle. DG of animals fed CON had higher concentrations of FAs than those fed the artificial diets. Energetic balance demonstrated that physiologically useful energy for maintenance E(B) was affected by type of diet, with negative values of E(B) in animals fed ALG and positive (85 and 154 kJ kg^?1 day^?1) in octopuses fed GEL and CON, respectively. The ALG diet did not cope with the physiological requirements for octopus growth.     

维生素B6对史氏鲟幼鱼胰蛋白酶活性的影响

试验研究了饲料中不同水平维生素B6对史氏鲟（Acipenser schrencki）幼鱼胰蛋白酶活性的影响。在温度为（20±0.5）℃、pH值为6.8～7.5的条件下,研究了低蛋白含量（28%）饲料中,添加不同水平的维生素B6（0、15、30、45、60、75mg/kg）对史氏鲟幼鱼[（34.07±3.44）g]胰蛋白酶活性的影响。结果表明,饲料中的维生素B6添加量为45～60mg/kg时,对幼鲟胰蛋白酶的激活作用最大,并可相应提高对饲料蛋白质的消化率。     

A physiological and biochemical approach to selecting the ideal diet for Ostrea edulis (L.) broodstock conditioning (part A)

To select the best microalgae for Ostrea edulis conditioning, four single species diets were fed to batches of broodstock, which were then compared using physiological and biochemical approaches. Ingestion and absorption were first studied, showing that Chaetoceros gracilis and Skeletonema marinoï were efficiently ingested (4.9–5.3 mg g^?1 h^?1) and absorbed (1.9–2.5 mg g^?1 h^?1) while Tetraselmis suecica led to the lowest physiological responses (0.36 and 0.12 mg g^?1 h^?1 respectively). When O. edulis were fed any microalgae except T‐ISO with only 79 mg g^?1, gonads accumulated carbohydrates from 116 to 141 mg g^?1 and the extent of accumulation depended on the species supplied in the order T. suecica<C. gracilis<S. marinoï. When oysters were fed either of the diatoms (C. gracilis or S. marinoï), an efficient transfer of 20:5(n‐3) to all tissues, including the gonads, was recorded while no enrichment in 22:6(n‐3) occurred in all tissues (polar fraction) when oysters were fed T‐ISO. In contrast (22:5(n‐6)), a characteristic fatty acid of T‐ISO accumulated in all tissues, confirming its allocation despite particularly low ingestion (1.66 mg g^?1 h^?1) and absorption (0.32 mg g^?1 h^?1). When oysters were fed C. gracilis or S. marinoï an efficient transfer of cholesterol and campesterol from diatoms to the gonads was observed, while no sterol accumulation occurred in the gonad when fed T. suecica. Because of low ingestion, absorption and poor biochemical compounds' transfer, T. suecica is not recommended for O. edulis conditioning. T‐ISO also exhibited low physiological performances but due to a specific 22:6(n‐3) enrichment in the gonad neutral fraction (16.1%), its potential role in reproduction should be considered. Chaetoceros gracilis is highly recommended for O. edulis broodstock while a source of DHA other than that provided by T‐ISO should be found due to its poor absorption. Because a mixed diet has been shown to be more efficient for O. edulis broodstock conditioning, complementary trials dealing with the effects of other species rich in 22:6(n‐3) such as Rhodomonas salina or Pavlova lutheri should be performed.     

Effects of Oxygen Supplementation on Lake Trout Brood Stock

This study was conducted to determine the effects of oxygen supplementation and nitrogen supersaturation on the fecundity and performance of Lewis Lake strain lake trout, Salvelinus namaycush, brood stock. Performance of brood fish held in water supersaturated with oxygen was compared to that of controls raised at or below 100% saturation for 334 days. Incoming water averaged 78.4% saturation in the morning; the addition of oxygen increased saturation to 104.6%. As a result, average morning nitrogen saturation was reduced from 105.7% to 100.9%. In oxygen-supplemented water, peak daily oxygen saturation averged 129.0% in the afternoon. At this saturation level, average nitrogen gas was reduced to 98.4% saturation. Total gas pressure never exceeded 109.1% with oxygen supplementation; however, nitrogen supersaturation reached 110% in raceways with no oxygen supplementation. Weight gain, feed conversion, egg survival, egg size, and number of eggs per female were not affected by increasing oxygen saturation.     

Lethal Effects of Elevated pH and Ammonia on Early Life Stages of Hybrid Striped Bass

Hybrid striped bass larvae (striped bass, Morone saxatilis, ♀ x white bass, M. chrysops, ♂) are often stocked into fertile culture ponds. High rates of photosynthesis may result in elevated pH which can be lethal to fry and can affect the toxicity of ammonia. Six-hour static toxicity tests were performed on hybrid larvae of various ages to determine the toxicity of elevated pH and the effects of elevated pH on ammonia toxicity. Six-hour mortality threshold pH's with no measurable ammonia were estimated for various age larvae and found to be between pH's 9.8 and 10.2 for D2 (Dl is day of hatch), between 9.0 and 9.4 for D4, between 8.8 and 9.2 for D13, and between 9.2 and 9.4 for D20 fish. The addition of 0.7% NaCl had no effect on the toxicity of elevated pH to D2 or D4 fish but caused a significant reduction in the mortality of Dl3 and D20 fish exposed to high pH. The tolerance to elevated pH decreased as ammonia concentration increased. Sub-lethal un-ionized ammonia concentrations increased the toxicity of elevated pH, suggesting an interaction of pH and un-ionized ammonia toxicity.     

Effects of dietary β-carotene on the immune response of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss

SUMMARY: We attempt to assess the impact of different levels of dietary β-carotene on immune function in rainbow trout. Semi-purified diets containing 0, 40, 200, and 400 mg β-carotene/kg dry diet were fed for 12 weeks to fish with average weight of 45 g. In addition to the humoral and cellular immune parameters, growth and feed utilization were examined. There were no marked differences in growth and feed utilization showing that β-carotene was not particularly efficient in enhancing growth of rainbow trout. Of the immune parameters measured, total immunoglobulin was significantly highest for the 200 mg β-carotene fed group. Serum complement activity (alternate pathway) at 200 and 400 mg β-carotene supplementation was significantly higher than that of the unsupplemented group. An increasing trend in lysozyme activity was observed, however, the differences among the groups were not significant. Phagocytic activity was similar among diet groups except at the highest level of supplementation where it was the maximum. Oxygen radical production by peripheral blood leukocytes appeared to be lower at higher levels of carotenoid supplementation. Overall, dietary β-carotene clearly enhanced immune response parameters in rainbow trout such as serum complement activity and total plasma immunoglobulin but did not show a definite influence for the other factors examined in the present study.