The desaturation and elongation of 14C-labelled polyunsaturated fatty acids by pike (Esox lucius L.) in vivo

To examine the ability of pike (Esox lucius L.) to modify exogenous PUFA by desaturation and elongation, ¹⁴C-labelled 18:2(n-6), 18:3(n-3), 20:4(n-6) and 20:5(n-3) were injected intraperitoneally and the distribution of radioactivity in tissue lipid classes and liver PUFA measured. In all tissues examined, radioactivity from all ¹⁴C-PUFA was recovered in many classes of acyl lipids and the level of recovery generally reflected the relative abundance of the lipid classes. Triacylglycerols, CGP and EGP usually contained high levels of all incorporated ¹⁴C-PUFA. PI contained higher levels of radioactivity from ¹⁴C-20:4(n-6) than from other injected substrates. In liver lipid, the 6 desaturation products of ¹⁴C-18:2(n-6) and ¹⁴C-18:3(n-3) contained no measurable radioactivity although the elongation products of the 6 desaturation products were labelled, as were the direct elongation products of these injected substrates. No radioactivity from ¹⁴C-18:2(n-6) or ¹⁴C-18:3(n-3) was detected in C₂₀ or C₂₂ products of 5 and 4 desaturation. Almost all radioactivity from injected ¹⁴C-20:4(n-6) was recovered in this PUFA. Of the total radioactivity from ¹⁴C-20:5(n-3) incorporated into liver lipid, 7% was present as 24:5 and 16.4% was recovered in hexaenoic fatty acids. In liver, 24:5(n-3) and 24:6(n-3) each accounted for 1% of the mass of total fatty acids and were located almost exclusively in triacylglycerols. The presence of radioactivity in these C₂₄ PUFA suggests that in pike the synthesis of 22:6(n-3) from 20:5(n-3) may proceed without 4 desaturase via the pathway which involves chain shortening of 24:6(n-3). It is concluded that under the circumstances employed in this study pike, do not exhibit 5 desaturase activity and are unable to synthesize 20:4(n-6) and 20:5(n-3) from 18:2(n-6) and 18:3(n-3), respectively. This suggests that pike may require 20:4(n-6) and 20:5(n-3) preformed in the diet.Abbreviations CGP choline glycerophospholipids - CL cardiolipin - EGP ethanolamine glycerophospholipids - PG phosphatidylglycerol - PI phosphatidylinositol - PS phosphatidylserine - PUFA polyunsaturated fatty acids - SM sphingomyelin - TLC thin-layer chromatography     

Lipids of arctic charr,Salvelinus alpinus (L.) I. Dietary induced changes in lipid class and fatty acid composition

Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus L.) were fed either a commercial diet or six experimental test diets containing coconut oil and different polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) at a level of 1% by dry weight. Best growth rates were observed with the commercial diet, worst with diet containing coconut oil with no PUFA. An increase in hepatic lipid, hepatic sterol esters and muscular moisture content, and a decrease in muscular lipid was generally found in fish fed the test diets compared to those maintained on the commercial diet.Phosphatidylcholine was the dominant polar lipid (PL) class in all tissues examined. Extensive modification of dietary saturated fatty acids into 18:1 (n-9) was observed in tissue triacylglycerols (TAG) of fish fed test diets. No changes occurred with the commercial diet.Dietary PUFA were essentially incorporated unchanged into tissue TAG of all fish in the present study. PUFA composition of hepatic phospholipids was significantly influenced by that contained in the diets. However both 18:2 (n-6) and 18:3 (n-3) in the test diets were extensively elongated and desaturated prior to incorporation into PL. The (n-9) PUFA content was always higher in liver of fish fed the test diets. When 18:2 (n-6) and 18:3 (n-3) were supplied together, the level of (n-3) PUFA exceeded those of (n-6) PUFA. Muscle PL were less influenced by diet than liver. In muscle (n-3) PUFA were always the predominant PUFA irrespective of diet. Only low amounts of (n-9) PUFA were found. It is suggested that (n-3) PUFA are the prime essential fatty acids for Arctic charr, and that they are used in preference to (n-6) PUFA for elongation, desaturation and incorporation into PL. The results suggest that the quantitative requirement of Arctic charr for EFA is may be higher than that of other salmonids.     

Changing of fat content and fatty acid profile of reared pike (Esox lucius) fed two different diets

Fat content and fatty acid profile of two pike yearling groups grown on two different diets were compared. The groups originated from culture on artificial feed. One group (cultured pike fed first pellet then prey‐fish (PF)) was fed with natural food, live prey‐fish, while the other one (cultured pike fed exclusively pellet (PP)) by trout feed through a 3‐month experimental period. Growth of pike was lower with PP than with PF. The trout feed resulted in an increase of the fat content of fillet and the formation of abdominal fat depots. Feeding of natural food decreased the fat content. The proportion of the saturated fatty acids in fillet was higher in the (PF) group. The n‐6 fatty acids (arachidonic C20:4n‐6 and docosatetraenic C22:4n‐6 acids) were lowest in PP‐fed pike. Regarding total n‐3 fatty acids ratio there was no significant difference between the groups, but the level of α‐linolenic (C:18:3n‐3) acid showed significant difference among groups.     

Changes in lipid class and fatty acid composition during development in pike (Esox lucius L) eggs and larvae

To establish the changes which occur during embryogenesis and early larval development, eggs, yolk sac larvae and swim-up larvae of pike were examined for lipid class and fatty acid composition. At a water temperature of 15.5°C, the embryonic phase was short (6 days) and characterized by a 41.3% decline in the lipid content of eggs, accompanied by large reductions in the amount of phosphatidylcholine (41.4% decrease), sterol esters and triacylglycerols (respectively a 41.2% decrease and a 58.1% decrease), but not phosphatidylethanolamine which increased markedly (35.6%). By the time of yolk sac absorption (7 to 11 days after fertilization) the larvae remained inactive and a limited utilization of lipids was observed. Yolk sac phosphatidylcholine was selectively incorporated into larval bodies while the levels of other lipid classes remained unchanged in the yolk. When the swim bladder was filled and the swimming stage was reached (11 days to 13 days af), the yolk was completely depleted and yolk phosphatidylcholine together with yolk triacylglycerols were catabolised. Yolk phosphatidylethanolamine and yolk sterol esters were partly incorporated into the body lipids. In the subsequent swim-up larval stage (13 to 15 days af), a steady decrease in lipids was observed (41.6%). Fluctuations in the levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids or saturated fatty acids examined from eggs or larvae were consistent with changes in lipid classes during pike development. During yolk sac absorption, pike incorporated yolk PUFA released on hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine into the larval body. The results are discussed with reference to water temperature and in relation to the ontogenic and ecological context of pike development. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effects of dietary n−3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on lipid and fatty acid composition and haematology of juvenile Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus (L.)

The effect of dietary n−3 and n−6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on juvenile Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus (L.) were investigated with respect to essential fatty acid (EFA) deficiency and lipid metabolism using one commercial and 12 casein-based test diets. Arctic charr with mean weight of 1.6g were fed test diets for 12 weeks at 10°C. At the end of the feeding, blood, liver, muscle and whole fish were sampled to determine haematocrit, haemoglobin, water content, lipid and fatty acid composition. Charr fed diets containing 0–1.0% n−3 PUFAs showed typical EFA deficiency signs: fatty liver or elevated water content in whole body or substantial accumulation of 20:3n−9 in liver polar lipids. These signs were less apparent or disappeared when charr were fed diets containing ≥ 2.0% 18:3n−3. No correlation was found between dietary PUFAs and haematocrit or haemoglobin values. Significant changes in fatty acid composition of liver polar lipids in charr fed dietary PUFAs indicate that charr can convert 18:3n−3, 18:2n−6 and 20:5n−3 into long-chain PUFAs. While charr had a direct incorporation of dietary 22:6n−3 into liver and muscle there appears to be preferential utilization of n−3 PUFAs for elongation and desaturation. The conversion of 18:4n−3 was less in muscle than in livers. These findings, combined with data on growth and feed efficiency reported previously by Yang and Dick (1993), indicate that charr require 1−2% dietary 18:3n−3 (dry weight). Small amounts of dietary 18:2n−6 (up to 0.7%) did not have detrimental effects on charr.     

Spatial behaviour of young-of-the-year northern pike (Esox lucius L.) in a temporarily flooded nursery area

Abstract –  Unlike adult northern pike ( Esox lucius ), small-bodied young-of-the-year (YOY) individuals cannot be tracked by conventional telemetry, and virtually no data exist on their spatial behaviour. Here, we monitored 192 individuals released into a nursery area (0.47 ha, subdivided into 253 cells of 4 m × 5 m) that dried out progressively using a portable passive integrated transponder detector. Among them, 66 spent more than 5 days in the nursery area and were localised at least twice, allowing spatial behaviour analyses. The mean radial distance moved averaged 14.3 m (±8.4 SD, range 2.2–41.0) and the average daily movement was 8.0 m·day⁻¹ (±5.3 SD, range 0.6–31.1). Pike abundance in a cell significantly correlated with the abundance observed in adjacent cells within 32 m, confirming a patchy distribution. A selective use of the deepest area was measured while no effect of vegetation cover was observed at the cell scale. The existence of YOY pike aggregations and the positive correlation between water depth and their spatial distribution might, however, facilitate predation and/or cannibalism during this critical period. This also suggests that the choice of release habitats requires particular attention during restocking procedures.     

Salmon farming affects the fatty acid composition and taste of wild saithe Pollachius virens L.

There is an ongoing controversy on whether fish farming affects the quality of wild fish in fjords. In northern Norway, local people prefer not to eat saithe, Pollachius virens L., from areas in the vicinity of fish farms because they say the taste is inferior to saithe from other areas. To address this issue, saithe were collected in the vicinity of a salmon fish farm in a fjord in northern Norway and in two reference areas: one site 6 km away from the nearest fish farm in the same fjord, and the other in a fjord nearby with no fish farms. The objective of this study was to clarify whether the physiology or taste of saithe near fish farms differs from saithe in areas with no or limited influence from fish farms. The fish collected near farms were larger than those from control sites of the same age and had been eating pellets. Analysis of fatty acid composition of the fillet indicated that fish collected near the farms had fatty acid profiles that resembled that of pellets more than fish from reference sites. The results suggest that there were individual differences in the time spent near cages for saithe collected near the farm, and that saithe collected at the reference area in the same fjord had also been eating pellets, i.e. had visited at least one of the fish farms in the fjord. In a sensory test, the test panel found that saithe from the fjord without fish farms tasted better than saithe collected near the cages. The test panel found no clear differences in taste between saithe collected near the fish farm and saithe from the same fjord, but 6 km from the nearest fish farm.     

The conversion of linoleic acid and linolenic acid to longer chain polyunsaturated fatty acids by Tilapia (Oreochromis) nilotica in vivo

Tilapia (Oreochromis) nilotica were fed either a commercial diet containing 2.2% (n-3) and 0.5% (n-6) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), or a diet containing 1.0% methyl linoleate as the only PUFA. The fatty acid composition of tissue lipids generally reflected that of the diet. Fish from both dietary groups were injected intraperitoneally with ¹⁴C-labelled linoleic acid, 18:2 (n-6), or linolenic acid, 18:3 (n-3), and the distribution of radioactivity in tissue lipids examined. The conversion of both 18:2 (n-6) and 18:3 (n-3) to longer chain PUFA was lower in fish fed the commercial diet than in those fed the diet containing only 18:2 (n-6). Half of the radioactivity from both substrates recovered in liver polar lipids was present in C20 and C22 PUFA with fish maintained on the experimental diet. It is concluded that T. nilotica is capable of elongating and desaturating both 18:2 (n-6) and 18:3 (n-3), but that this conversion is suppressed by dietary longer chain PUFA. NERC Unit of Aquatic Biochemistry     

The effect of culture on morphology, lipid and fatty acid composition, and polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) skin cells

Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) skin cell cultures were obtained by trypsinization of the tissue and grown in Leibovitz L-15 medium. Lipid class compositions, and fatty acid profiles of total lipids and individual phospholipid classes were determined at different times of culture. The metabolism of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) was investigated by incubating primary cultures after 7 and 14 days with [1-¹⁴C]18:2n-6 and [1-¹⁴C-]18:3n-3. The change in morphology between epithelial-like primary cultures and fibroblastic-like secondary subcultures was accompanied by alterations in the lipid composition. Polar lipids became predominant by 14 days in culture. The relative proportions of phosphatidylcholine (PC), the most abundant phospholipid, phosphatidylinositol and cholesterol increased significantly, while sphingomyelin decreased. Saturated fatty acids, 18:1n-9, n-6 and n-9PUFA were more abundant in total lipid in cultures at 14 days and 4 months than in cells initially isolated which contained higher percentages of longer chain monoenes and n-3PUFA. The changes in fatty acid composition with time in culture were observed in all the major phospholipid classes. Rainbow trout skin cells in culture desaturated and elongated both 18:2n-6 and 18:3n-3, with 20:4n-6 and 20:5n-3 being the most abundant products, respectively. PC presented the highest incorporation of radioactivity, especially following incubation with 18:3n-3. Lipid metabolism in general increased with the age of primary cultures, with both the amount of C18 PUFA incorporated and metabolized by desaturation/elongation significantly increased in 14 day cultures compared to 7 day cultures. Product/precursor ratios calculated for both n-6 and n-3 fatty acids showed that, while 6 desaturase activity was increased significantly with cell age, 5 desaturase activity was more affected by the fatty acid series, with 18:3n-3 being more readily transformed to 20:5n-3 than 18:2n-6 to 20:4n-6. Further desaturation of 20:5n-3 to hexaenes was low. Overall, the data suggested that the trout skin cell cultures were more similar to mammalian skin fibroblasts than mammalian epidermal/keratinocyte cultures.     

Dependence of the common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) fatty acid profile on diet composition in a semi‐intensive farming system: tissue and time variability

Increasing the amount of n‐3 PUFA in carp meat is one of the most important tasks in enhancing its overall quality. However, the relative influence of supplemental feed and natural feed on the FA profile of cultivated carp flesh is not well documented, making it difficult to choose the most efficient strategy. Carp diet composition and diet and flesh fatty acid profiles were simultaneously followed in order to determine the influence of pelleted feed compared to natural feed on fatty acid profiles of carp tissues. Pelleted feed clearly dominated over zooplankton and Chironomidae in the carp diet, producing carp tissue fatty acid profiles closely resembling those of pelleted feed. However, increase in the abundance of zooplankton over the course of the investigation resulting in concomitant increase of its proportion in feed bulk was in strong positive correlation with increase in n‐3 HUFA in the dorsal muscle. n‐3 PUFA enrichment of supplemental feed could be the dominant mechanism in production of carp meat rich in n‐3 PUFA. However, even a small increase in natural feed availability could significantly change the diet of common carp and result in considerable improvement of meat quality with regard to n‐3 HUFA content.     

Patterns of movement of adult northern pike (Esox lucius L.) in a regulated river

Abstract –  We performed a tagging study on one of the spawning populations of northern pike ( Esox lucius L.) of the River Kajaaninjoki in Finland. Northern pike is the main predator in many lakes and rivers in the northern hemisphere. Previous tagging studies have shown a general tendency to sedentary behaviour by pike. Whether individuals in a fish population adapt a sedentary or moving strategy may affect population persistence. To study if the spawning population consists of sedentary or moving individuals and the pattern of movements, we tagged 40 pike with radio transmitters and followed them from May 2002 to June 2003. Pike were caught and tagged during the spawning season in the mouth of the River Kajaaninjoki which flows into one of the largest lakes in Finland, Lake Oulujärvi. Our results suggest that the pike spawning population consisted of sedentary pike ( N  = 16) dwelling the whole year in the river, and moving pike ( N  = 24) which moved to Lake Oulujärvi after the spawning period. Pike exhibited homing behaviour, as most of the migrating pike returned to the same spawning area in the following year. Large pike had a higher movement rate than small pike during the summer and seasonally the movement rate was lowest during the spring and highest during the summer.     

Temperature modulates liver lipid accumulation in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) fed low dietary levels of long‐chain n‐3 fatty acids

Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) were fed five graded levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n‐3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n‐3), from 1.4 to 5.2% of total fatty acids (FA, 5–17 mg kg^?1 feed), and grew from ~160 g to ~3000 g, with the period from 1450 g onwards conducted both at 6 °C and at 12 °C. All fish appeared healthy, and there were no diet‐related differences in haematological or plasma parameters, as well as intestinal histological or gut microbiota analysis. Fish reared at 6 °C had higher accumulation of storage lipids in the liver compared to fish reared at 12 °C. Liver lipids also increased with decreasing dietary EPA + DHA at 6 °C, while there was no such relationship at 12 °C. Gene expression of SREBP1 and 2, LXR, FAS and CPT1 could not explain the differences in liver lipid accumulation. In liver polar lipids, DHA was found to be reduced when dietary EPA + DHA was <2.7% of FAs, while the level of EPA in the membranes was not affected. In conclusion, reducing dietary EPA + DHA from 5.2 to 1.4% of total FAs had a minor impact on fish health. Temperature was the factor that most affected the liver lipid accumulation, but there was also an interaction with dietary components.     

Organ and phospholipid class fatty acid specificity in response to dietary depletion of essential n‐3 fatty acids in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.)

The cell membrane phospholipid composition is of major importance for normal cell functions. However, it is not known how complete depletion of both shorter and longer chain omega‐3 fatty acids in salmon diets influences fatty acid composition of phospholipid subclasses in different organs of Atlantic salmon. We describe here the fatty acid composition in phospholipid subclasses of liver, muscle, heart and intestine in Atlantic salmon after 18 months of dietary n‐3 essential fatty acids deprivation. The percentage of 22:6n‐3 was markedly reduced in almost all phospholipid subclasses, and except for muscle phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylinositol (PI), phospholipids in deficient fish were totally devoid of 20:5n‐3. As compensation, we observed significant increases in 20:4n‐6, and especially in 20:3n‐9 (Mead acid) and 22:5n‐6, varying among phospholipids and organs. High amounts of 20:3n‐9 were found in liver and intestinal PE, little in PE from heart and muscle. For 22:5n‐6, we saw a small incorporation in PI in liver and intestine compared to heart and muscle. Generally in PI, the preference for 20:4n‐6 to 20:5n‐3 differed significantly between organs. Overall, changes upon n‐3 deprivation seemed to be strongest in liver and intestine, the lipid‐secreting organs, and less in muscle and heart.     

The essential fatty acid requirement of milkfish (Chanos chanos Forsskal)

The essential fatty acid (EFA) requirement of milkfish was examined by a 12-week feeding trial using defined, purified diets at water temperature of 28–29°C and salinity of 32. The test diets contained varying levels of 18:0 (triglyceride form, TG), 18:3(n–3), 18:2(n–6) and (n–3) highly unsaturated fatty acids (n–3 HUFA). Milkfish juveniles were starved for 7 days and were than fed lipid-free diet for 30 days before the initiation of feeding trials. Low growth and feed efficiency together with high mortalities were observed in fish fed the lipid-free diet as well as in the EFA-deficient diet. Supplementation of 2% 18:2(n–6) to the tristearin based diet did not improve growth rate of milkfish as effectively as feeding with (n–3) fatty acids. The highest weight gain was obtained in milkfish fed a combination of 5% 18:0 + 1.0% 18:3(n–3) + 0.5% 20:5(n–3) + 0.5% 22:6(n–3) although the supplementation of 2% 18:3(n–3) alone or combination of 0.5% 20:5(n–3) + 0.5% 22:6(n–3) to the tristearin based diets were also effective for improvement of growth. Thus, (n–3) fatty acids, such as 18:3(n–3) and (n–3)HUFA were nutritionally more important than 18:2(n–6) for milkfish. The fatty acid composition of the polar lipids from whole body of milkfish juveniles fed the various test diets were influenced by the composition of the dietary fatty acids.     

中国和匈牙利白斑狗鱼群体遗传变异的微卫星标记分析

本研究应用18个微卫星分子标记,对白斑狗鱼(Esox lucius L.)3个中国新疆群体(乌伦古湖、吉力湖和6号湖)和1个匈牙利巴拉顿湖群体的遗传结构进行了分析.结果表明,3个中国白斑狗鱼群体的平均等位基因丰富度(AR)、平均观测杂合度(Ho)和平均期望杂合度(HE)均显著低于匈牙利巴拉顿湖群体(P＜0.05),而匈牙利群体的平均近交系数(FIS)高于中国群体;经SMM和TPM模型检测,匈牙利白斑狗鱼群体存在显著的遗传瓶颈信号(P＜0.001);AMOVA和群体两两比较的FST值表明,中国与匈牙利白斑狗鱼的遗传分化十分显著(P＜0.01);NJ树、主成分分析(PCA)进一步证实中国白斑狗鱼与匈牙利白斑狗鱼群体间存在显著的遗传差异和分化.此外,贝叶斯遗传聚类结果表明,中国新疆6号湖白斑狗鱼群体极可能来源于乌伦古湖,而非吉力湖.     

The fatty acid compositions of total,neutral and polar lipids in wild and farmed lambari (Astyanax altiparanae) (Garutti & Britski, 2000) broodstock

One way to develop broodstock fish diets is to determine the compositions of wild broodstock tissues and attempt to replicate these compositions in the eggs of farmed fish via dietary manipulation. We collected 30 wild and 30 farmed lambari females that were in the reproductive stage. The extraction and separation of polar and neutral fractions and the saponification and methylation of lipids were performed and analysed in the muscles, livers and ovaries to determine the compositions of the fatty acids via gas chromatography. Regardless of habitat, lambaris mobilize large amounts of fat to the ovaries during the reproductive period, in addition to highly unsaturated fatty acids, such as arachidonic, eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids. The wild lambaris were observed to contain higher levels of various fatty acids, including linoleic acid, which is an essential fatty acid. The most abundant fatty acid that was observed in the commercial diet was linoleic acid, which was supplied in all fish farmed tissues. The commercial diet has low AA, EPA and DHA contents, and, higher levels of these fatty acids were recorded in the tissues of farmed lambari, which suggests that this species are able to elongate and desaturate precursors, linoleic and linolenic acids, into highly unsaturated fatty acids.     

Effects of varying dietary fatty acid profile on growth performance, fatty acid, body and tissue composition of juvenile pike perch (Sander lucioperca)

Pike perch (Sander lucioperca) has been identified as specie destined to diverse European inland aquaculture, but knowledge on the nutritional requirements is weak. Therefore, we investigated the effect of varying dietary fatty acid (FA) profile by partial replacement of fish oil (FO) with vegetable oils on growth, FA and body composition of juvenile pike perch. An extruded basal diet containing 59 g kg^?1 crude lipids (FO) was added with 60 g kg^?1 FO, 60 g kg^?1 linseed oil (LO) or 60 g kg^?1 soybean oil (SO). The resulting dietary FA composition differed mainly in the triglyceride fraction and was characterized by highest amounts of linolenic acid (18:3 n‐3) in the LO diet and linoleic acid in the SO diet. Diet enriched with FO contained highest contents of highly unsaturated FA 20:5 n‐3 (eicosapentaenic acid) and 22:6 n‐3 (docosahexaenic acid). Pike perch were held in a recirculation system and each feeding group (in triplicate) was fed with experimental diets at a daily rate of 35 g kg^?1 of biomass for 57 days by automatic feeders. Weight gain and specific growth rate of experimental feeding groups ranged between 18.47 and 19.58 g and 1.37–1.45% day^?1 and was not affected by the dietary composition indicating that FO can be replaced by vegetable oils without negative impact on growth performance. In contrast to the whole body and muscle composition, liver tissue was affected by the varying diets. Liver tissues of fish fed diets enriched with vegetable oils showed significantly increased lipid contents of 162 (LO) and 147 (SO) g kg^?1 and indicate decreased lipid utilization compared with fish fed FO diet (liver lipid content 112 g kg^?1). Nevertheless, hepatosomatic index of pike perch was not influenced by dietary lipid composition. The FA profile of pike perch was generally determined by the dietary FAs.     

A comparison of fatty acid composition and quality aspects of eggs and larvae from cultured and wild broodstock of common sole (Solea solea L.)

Eggs from a F₁ cultured broodstock of sole were compared with eggs from wild‐caught breeders throughout one spawning season, to evaluate if egg quality may be affected by culture‐related conditions. Fourteen batches of eggs from cultured broodstock and 17 batches from wild‐caught sole were compared with respect to fatty acid (FA) composition, egg size, fertilization rate and hatching rate. Based on a multivariate analysis of the FA profiles, it was possible to discriminate between culture and wild inheritance. Eggs from cultured broodstock had high levels of C20:1(n‐9), C18:2(n‐6) and C18:3(n‐3), whereas eggs from wild fish had high levels of C16:1(n‐7), C20:4(n‐6) and C20:5(n‐3). Differences in FA profiles were most likely related to dietary differences. Fertilization and hatching rates were generally low and lowest in eggs from cultured broodstock, but not related to FA composition. Larval growth of one batch from each group was compared. Larval growth was not correlated to broodstock origin, FA composition or egg or larval size. However, larval survival was significantly lower for larvae from cultured broodstock.     

Influences of dietary fatty acid profile on growth, body composition and blood chemistry in juvenile fat cod (Hexagrammos otakii Jordan et Starks)

This study was conducted to investigate the influence of dietary lipid source and n‐3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (n‐3 HUFA) level on growth, body composition and blood chemistry of juvenile fat cod. Triplicate groups of fish (13.2 ± 0.54 g) were fed the diets containing different n‐3 HUFA levels (0–30 g kg^?1) adjusted by either lauric acid or different proportions of corn oil, linseed oil and squid liver oil at 100 g kg^?1 of total lipid level. Survival was not affected by dietary fatty acids composition. Weight gain, feed efficiency and protein efficiency ratio (PER) of fish fed the diets containing squid liver oil were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than those fed the diets containing lauric acid, corn oil or linseed oil as the sole lipid source. Weight gain, feed efficiency and PER of fish increased with increasing dietary n‐3 HUFA level up to 12–16 g kg^?1, but the values decreased in fish fed the diet containing 30 g kg^?1 n‐3 HUFA. The result of second‐order polynomial regression showed that the maximum weight gain and feed efficiency could be attained at 17 g kg^?1 n‐3 HUFA. Plasma protein, glucose and cholesterol contents were not affected by dietary fatty acids composition. However, plasma triglyceride content in fish fed the diet containing lauric acid as the sole lipid source was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than that of fish fed the other diets. Lipid content of fish fed the diets containing each of lauric acid or corn oil was lower than that of fish fed the diets containing linseed oil or squid liver oil only. Fatty acid composition of polar and neutral lipid fractions in the whole body of fat cod fed the diets containing various levels of n‐3 HUFA were reflected by dietary fatty acids compositions. The contents of n‐3 HUFA in polar and neutral lipids of fish increased with an increase in dietary n‐3 HUFA level. These results indicate that dietary n‐3 HUFA are essential and the diet containing 12–17 g kg^?1 n‐3 HUFA is optimal for growth and efficient feed utilization of juvenile fat cod, however, excessive n‐3 HUFA supplement may impair the growth of fish.