Feeding of juvenile cobia,Rachycentron canadum: Evaluation of practical feeds,comparison of commercial fishmeal replacers,and estimation of essential amino acid requirements

Three studies were conducted with juvenile cobia, Rachycentron canadum: (Study 1) a 10‐week feeding trial within floating net cages to test the nutritional efficacy of different dietary feeding regimes (trash‐fish control diet, a semimoist diet, an in‐house dry formulated diet, and a commercial cobia feed); (Study 2) a 10‐week feeding trial within an indoor water‐recirculating tank‐based system to test the nutritional efficiency of different potential dietary fishmeal replacers (poultry byproduct meal, soy protein concentrate, feather meal), a diet without taurine supplementation, and a commercial cobia feed; and (Study 3) estimation of the essential amino acid (EAA) requirements of cobia based on EAA whole‐body composition in fast‐growing cobia fed a trash‐fish‐based diet. Fish performance in terms of growth and feed efficiency was the greatest within the outdoor net‐cage feeding trial, with fish fed the control trash‐fish‐based diet exhibiting the best performance. Although fish growth was poorer within the indoor feeding trials, fish performance was similar for most diets, with apparent crude protein digestibility coefficients of over 75% being obtained in all experimental diets in both feeding trials. The estimated EAA requirements of cobia obtained during this study were similar to those reported for other similar marine carnivorous fish species.     

Evaluation of Dried Aquatic Weed,Pistia stratiotes,Meal as a Feedstuff in Pelleted Feed for Rohu,Labeo rohita,Fingerlings

A 70-day replicated experiment was conducted under laboratory conditions at 29-33°C to evaluate the suitability of dried aquatic weed, Pistia stratiotes, meal in the pelleted feed of Lubeo rohita fingerlings. Four experimental diets incorporating dried aquatic weed meal at 15, 30, 45, and 60% levels into a fish-mealbased control diet were formulated. Ihe protein content of the test diets ranged from 22% to 35%. Best performance of fish in terms of growth, feed conversion, protein efficiency ratio, and protein and lipid deposition in the muscle was recorded with the diet containing 15% weed meal. The fish performed better with the diets containing weed meal up to the 45% level. Fish fed diets containing higher levels of weed meal showed poor growth, feed conversion, and protein utilization. The results indicate it is possible to include the dried meal of P. stratiotes in pelleted feed (up to 45% level) for Indian major carp.     

Effect of totally or partially replacing fish meal by alternative protein sources on growth of African catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) reared in concrete tanks

A 12‐week feeding trial was carried out in concrete tanks to examine complete and partial replacement (75%) of fish meal (FM) with poultry by‐product meal (PBM), meat and bone meal (MBM) and soybean meal (SBM) in practical feeds for African catfish Clarias gariepinus. Triplicate groups of fish (initial body weight ranged from 90.33 to 93.93 g fish⁻¹) were fed seven isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets of 20% digestible protein and 300 kcal 100 g⁻¹ of digestible energy. The control contained 25% herring meal, whereas in the other six diets, PBM, MBM and SBM replaced 75% or 100% of the FM. Final body weight (FBW) and specific growth rate (SGR) of the fish fed diets containing PBM (75% and 100%), SBM (75% and 100%) and MBM (75%) were all higher, but not significantly different than those for fish fed the control diet. Replacing 100% of the FM by MBM significantly lowered FBW and SGR. Concerning whole body composition, there were no significant differences in ash and gross energy content of whole‐body among fish; fish fed diets containing PBM‐100% recorded significantly lower protein content compared with the control diet, while fish fed diet SBM‐100% recorded significantly lower moisture content compared with the control diet. Also fish fed diets SBM‐100% and PBM‐75% recorded higher lipid and gross energy contents compared with the control diet. The study revealed that satisfactory growth and feed utilization responses could be achieved through the replacement of FM by PBM, SBM and MBM in the diet of African catfish.     

Potential of local agricultural by-products for the rearing of African catfish Clarias gariepinus in Rwanda: effects on growth, feed utilization and body composition

This study was performed to evaluate the effect of replacing fish meal with local by‐products on Clarias gariepinus growth performance, feed utilization and body composition. A control diet contained 50% of fish meal. In four other diets, fish meal was partially replaced by vegetable and animal protein blend composed of sunflower oil cake, soybean oil cake, groundnut oil cake, bean meal, chicken viscera and blood meal. The study was conducted in a recirculating water system at a mean temperature of 23.6°C. The five test diets were compared with a commercial diet developed for African catfish. All diets were balanced to be equal in gross energy (19 kJ g⁻¹) and crude protein (40%). The experimental groups were fed in triplicate for 8 weeks, increasing fish weight from about 6.2 g at start to 52.3 g in the end. Best specific growth rate (SGR=3.4), feed efficiency (FE=1.3) and protein efficiency ratio (PER=3) were obtained with the control diet (diet 50% fish meal), although there were no significant differences between the group of fish fed the control diet and those fed diets based on groundnut oil cake or bean meal, whereas SGR (2.17), FE (0.85) and PER (1.95) were significantly (P<0.01) lower in fish fed diet containing sunflower oil cake. No significant differences (P<0.05) were found in fish fed commercial diet and diets containing bean meal or groundnut oil cake. Groundnut oil cake or bean meal can thus replace at least 50% of fish meal in the diet of Clarias fingerlings without amino acid supplementation. Because of its economic importance and its potential in animal nutrition sunflower oil cake is still an interesting feed ingredient, but its efficiency should be improved by various processing techniques. African catfish can utilize efficiently a diet with low percentage of animal protein without growth reduction.     

Voluntary feed intake,nitrogen and phosphorus losses in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fed increasing dietary levels of soy protein concentrate

High energy extruded diets were formulated to contain the same level of protein supplied either by soy protein concentrate (SPC) or fish meal. Three experiments were performed in order to measure voluntary feed intake and feed waste, faecal losses and soluble losses of nitrogen and phosphorus in rainbow trout (average body weight: 100 g). Voluntary feed intake and growth performance of fish fed with demand feeders were not different when diets contained 0, 50 or 75 % SPC instead of fish meal. Total replacement of fish meal by SPC led to a significant decrease in feed intake and resulted in poor growth. This was partly due to methionine deficiency in the SPC based diet. With the addition of crystalline DL-methionine in the diets, an improvement of feed intake and growth performance was apparent. Protein digestibility was high, regardless of the protein source. Excretion of ammonia and urea increased with the level of SPC in the diet. Nitrogen losses decreased when methionine was added to the diet containing only SPC as a protein source. Availability of phosphorus increased with the level of SPC in the diets. Daily soluble losses were not affected by the dietary treatments but the pattern of phosphorus excretion after feed intake was modified. The rise in soluble phosphorus in water occurred later when fish were fed diets with soy protein whatever the dietary level of soy protein concentrate.     

Evaluation of Gambusia, Gambusia affinis, Fish Meal in Practical Diets for Fry Nile Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus

This study was conducted to evaluate the use of gambusia, Gambusia affinis, fish meal (GFM) in practical diets for fry Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (2.11 ± 0.11 g). Six isonitrogenous diets (35%) were formulated in which GFM replaced 0.0, 10, 25, 50, 75, or 100% of the protein supplied by herring fish meal (HFM). Fish were fed one of the test diets at a feeding rate of 4% of the fish body weight 6 d a week, 2 times a day for 13 wk. Results demonstrated that fish growth increased with increasing GFM up to 75%, which produced the highest growth of the treatments. The lowest fish growth was obtained at 100% GFM. Feed intake (FI), protein efficiency ratio (PER), and apparent protein utilization (APU) increased significantly, while feed conversion ratio (FCR) decreased significantly with increasing GFM up to 75%. FI, PER, and APU decreased significantly, while FCR increased significantly for diets containing 100% GFM. There were no significant differences in moisture, protein, lipid, or ash contents in final fish body following inclusion of GFM in fish diet. There was no significant difference in the digestibility coefficient of dry matter. The digestibility coefficients of protein and gross energy for diets containing 100% GFM replacement were the lowest as compared with other GFM levels. The present study recommended that GFM is a suitable protein source in practical diets for fry Nile tilapia and could replace HFM up to 75%.     

The effect of dietary cricket meal (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Gryllus bimaculatus</Emphasis>) on growth performance,antioxidant enzyme activities,and haematological response of African catfish (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Clarias gariepinus</Emphasis>)

This study was conducted to investigate the growth performance, biomarkers of oxidative stress, catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione S-transferase (GST) as well as the haematological response of African catfish after being fed with fish feed containing different levels of cricket meal. The juvenile fish were assigned to three different treatments with isonitrogenous (35 %) and isoenergetic (19 kJ g^?1) diets containing 100 % cricket meal (100 % CM), 75 % cricket meal (75 % CM), and 100 % fishmeal (100 % FM) as control groups for 7 weeks. The results indicated that a diet containing 100 % CM and 75 % CM improved growth performance in terms of body weight gain and specific growth rate, when compared to 100 % FM. The feed conversion ratio (FCR) and protein efficiency ratio (PER) did not differ significantly between all diets, but reduced FCR and increased PER were observed with a higher inclusion of cricket meal. A haematological examination of fish demonstrated no significant difference of red blood cells in all diets and white blood cells showed a significantly higher value in fishmeal-fed fish. On the other hand, haemoglobin and haematocrit significantly increased with increasing amounts of cricket meal in the diet. Antioxidant activity of CAT was higher in the 100 % CM group compared to fish fed other diets, whereas GST and SOD showed increasing trends with a higher incorporation of cricket, although insignificant differences were observed between all diets. These results suggest that cricket meal could be an alternative to fishmeal as a protein source in the African catfish diet.     

Total fish meal replacement with canola protein isolate in diets fed to rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss W.)

The potential of canola protein isolate (CPI) as fish meal alternative in diets for rainbow trout was evaluated. Apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) for protein from a fish meal‐based reference diet (89.2 ± 1.1%) and CPI (84.6 ± 1.8%) were determined by indirect marker method in a digestibility experiment. ADC of dietary dry matter was slightly lower for the reference diet (62.5 ± 4.7%), but not significantly different to the CPI test diet (65.9 ± 3.1%). In a subsequent growth trial, 20 fish (initial weight 31.5 ± 0.5 g) were stocked into each of 15 experimental tanks of a freshwater flow‐through system. Fish were organized in triplicate groups and received experimental diets with 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% of fish meal replaced with CPI on the basis of digestible protein (designated as Control, I25, I50, I75, I100 respectively). At the end of a 70‐day feeding period, growth performance, feed intake and feed conversion ratio of treatment groups receiving diets I25, I50 or I100 were similar to the control group, while fish fed diet I75 showed significantly higher weight gain caused by improved feed conversion. The tested CPI was therefore identified to be a highly valuable fish meal alternative, not negatively affecting diet palatability, feed intake and feed efficiencies.     

The nutritional evaluation of dried earthworm meal (Eisenia foetida, Savigny, 1826) included at low levels in production diets for rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri Richardson

Abstract. Dried earthworm meal derived from the species Eisenia foetida was nutritionally evaluated as a replacement for herring meal in production diets from rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri Richardson. Increasing levels of dried E. foetida meal, from 5 to 30% by weight, were included in the diet and the response of fish fed these diets was compared to fish fed a control diet without earthworm meal inclusion. There was no evidence of any adverse effect on the growth performance or feed utilization efficiency of fish fed diets containing these low levels of dried E. foetida meal. There was. however, a significant increase in the whole carcass lipid content of fish fed diets containing 5. 10 and 20% dried E. foetida meal. Concent rations of iron, zinc, lead, copper and cadmium within the whole fish carcass were not significantly elevated as a result of including these low levels of the dried E. foetida meal in diets for rainbow trout.     

Use of biomass of the marine microalga Isochrysis galbana in the nutrition of goldfish (Carassius auratus) larvae as source of protein and vitamins

The effect of the replacement of fish protein hidrolizate and vitamin premix by freeze‐dried biomass of the marine microalga Isochrysis galbana in the feed for goldfish (Carassius auratus) larvae was tested. Larvae (3.4±0.7 mg) were fed with three experimental microparticulated diets that differ from each other in the percentage of replacement of fish protein hidrolizate (25% or 100%) or vitamin premix by I. galbana biomass. The control diet and the diet containing microalgae biomass as a substitute of 25% of fish protein hidrolizate (MP₂₅) presented the highest survival, being almost 100%, with no significant differences between them. Survival in diets in which 100% of fish protein hidrolizate (MP₁₀₀) or vitamin premix (MV) had been substituted by microalgal biomass was 78% and 66% respectively. Growth, measured as weight, was lower than with the control diet in all treatments in which microalgal biomass was included, with lowest results being obtained with the MP₁₀₀ diet. Differences between treatments and control were lower when growth was measured as length. The harvesting and processing microalgae biomass is crucial to maintain the nutritive value and could be the cause for the obtained results.     

橡胶籽油替代豆油对草鱼(Ctenopharyngodon idellus)生长性能、消化酶活性及部分生化指标的影响

为研究橡胶籽油替代豆油对草鱼(Ctenopharyngodon idellus)生长性能、消化酶活性、血脂水平、蛋白质代谢及抗氧化功能的影响,分别以橡胶籽油替代0(对照组)、25%、50%、75%和100%豆油配制5种等氮等能饲料,进行10周饲养实验。实验显示,0~50%替代组草鱼增重率、日增重系数显著高于100%替代组(P<0.05)。随着橡胶籽油替代豆油比例的升高,饲料系数呈先下降后上升的趋势,其中,25%替代组饲料系数最低,显著低于50%~100%替代组(P<0.05);25%替代组蛋白质效率最高,显著高于其他处理组(P<0.05)。随着橡胶籽油替代比例的升高,肠道胰蛋白酶、脂肪酶活性呈先上升后下降的趋势,其中,25%替代组脂肪酶活性最高,显著高于其他处理组(P<0.05),50%替代组胰蛋白酶活性最高,显著高于对照组、75%和100%替代组(P<0.05)。0~50%替代组肝胰脏胰蛋白酶活性显著高于75%和100%替代组(P<0.05)。25%~100%替代组血清总胆固醇(TC)含量显著低于对照组(P<0.05)。随着橡胶籽油替代比例的升高,肝胰脏天门冬氨酸氨基转移酶(AST)、丙氨酸氨基转移酶(ALT)活性呈先下降后上升的趋势,其中,25%替代组AST、ALT活性最低,显著低于对照组和100%替代组(P<0.05)。0~25%替代组血浆总抗氧化力(TAC)显著低于75%和100%替代组(P<0.05)。对照组血浆、肝胰脏丙二醛(MDA)含量显著高于100%替代组(P<0.05)。由此可知,橡胶籽油替代25%~50%豆油对草鱼生长性能、饲料利用率、血脂水平、抗氧化功能指标均无不良影响;但替代超过50%时显著降低草鱼生长性能和消化酶活性。     

Effects of Replacing Fish Meal with Soybean Meal in Diets for Red Drum Sciaenops ocellatus and Potential for Palatability Enhancement

Two 8-wk feeding trials were conducted with juvenile red drum to determine the maximum levels of soybean meal that may replace fish meal in diets containing 38% crude protein, without reducing weight gain. In the first experiment, fish fed diets containing up to 90% of the protein from soybean meal gained as much weight as fish fed a diet with 100% of protein from fish meal, but fish fed the diet with 100% of its protein from soybean meal gained significantly (P < 0.05) less. Supplementation of glycine and fish solubles individually at 2% (as-fed basis) in diets containing 90% of their protein from soybean meal tended to increase weight gain of fish compared to those fed a similar diet without supplementation. Similar results were obtained in the second experiment, as fish fed diets containing 90% of their protein from soybean meal gained as much weight as fish fed a diet with 100% of its protein from fish meal. Fish fed diets with 95% and 100% of their protein from soybean meal gained significantly less weight than those fed the diet with all of its protein from fish meal. Supplementation of glycine at 2% in the diet containing 95% of its protein from soybean meal significantly improved weight gain of fish relative to those fed a similar unsupplemented diet. Supplementation of fish solubles at 5% of diet on a dry-matter basis provided a nonsignificant increase in weight gain compared to that of fish fed a similar unsupplemented diet. In both experiments there was greater observed consumption of the soybean-meal-based diets than diets with all of their protein from fish meal. A minimum of 10% of protein from fish meal appears necessary in practical diets containing most of their protein from soybean meal to prevent impaired growth and feed efficiency of red drum.     

Assessment of the relative contribution of dietary nitrogen from fish meal and biofloc meal to the growth of Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

The relative contribution of the dietary nitrogen supplied by fish meal and a biofloc meal to the growth of Pacific white shrimp was evaluated using stable isotope analysis. Biofloculated material was obtained from an experimental tilapia culture system. Five formulated diets were supplied. Two of them consisted in isotopic controls having only fish meal or biofloc meal as protein source. Three mixed diets were formulated with varying proportions of these ingredients on a dietary nitrogen basis (75:25, 50:50 and 25:75). At the end of the trial, survival rates were similar (92–100%) but significant differences in mean final weight were observed and a negative correlation between the inclusion of biofloc meal and weight gain was evidenced. Mean final weight in shrimp fed on diet containing only fish meal was 2.8 g, while mean final weight of animals fed on diet containing 50% biofloc was 1.9 g. Isotopic mixing models indicated that all diets contributed higher proportions of dietary nitrogen from fish meal than from biofloc meal. Dietary nitrogen available in diets containing 25%, 50% and 75% of biofloc meal was incorporated in muscle tissue as 5%, 41% and 64% respectively. Diet supplying 25% of nitrogen from biofloc was the only mixed diet eliciting growth comparable to diet containing only fish meal. Lower growth and nitrogen deposition in shrimp fed on diets containing high proportions of biofloc meal were possibly associated to the use of only two protein sources and a restriction of essential amino acids.     

Effect of dietary inclusion of various sources of green tea on growth,body composition and blood chemistry of the juvenile olive flounder, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Paralichthys olivaceus</Emphasis>

This study was performed to determine the effect of the dietary inclusion of various sources of green tea on growth, body composition and blood chemistry of the olive flounder. Twenty-five juvenile fish were distributed into each of 15 180 l flow-through tanks. Five experimental diets with triplicates were prepared: control, raw leaves, dry leaves, by-product and extract. The 5% various sources (raw leaves, dry leaves and by-product) of green tea were included in the experimental diets at the expense of 5% wheat flour. The extract was diluted with water and mixed with the ingredients to maintain 5% green tea at the same concentration as in the other diets. Weight gain and specific growth rate of fish fed the control diet and experimental diet containing extract were higher than those of fish fed the diets containing raw and dry leaves and by-product. Feed and protein efficiency ratio for fish fed the control diet and diet containing extract was higher than for fish fed the diets containing raw leaves and by-product. The level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol of fish fed the control diet was higher than that of fish fed the other diets containing various sources of green tea. The glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GPT) concentration of fish fed the diets containing raw leaves and extract was lower than that of fish fed the control diet. Crude lipid content of liver in fish fed the control diet was higher than that in fish fed the diets containing raw and dry leaves and by-product but was not significantly different from that of fish fed the diet containing extract. Dietary inclusion of extract was the most effective way to improve growth and feed utilization of the olive flounder among the various sources of green tea, and all sources of green tea were effective in lowering serum LDL cholesterol and GPT of the fish.     

Evaluation of full-fat and defatted maggot meals in the feeding of clariid catfish Clarias gariepinus fingerlings

The nutritional implication of processed maggot meals, hydrolysed, defatted, full‐fat, sun‐dried and oven‐dried, in the diets of Clarias gariepinus fingerlings were evaluated. The nutrient density, proximate composition, gross energy and mineral constituents of the maggot meals were determined. Five isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets were formulated to provide 40% crude protein in which fish meal in the reference diet was completely replaced by any of the following processed maggot meals: oven‐dried full‐fat (ODM), sun‐dried full‐fat (SDM), defatted oven‐dried (DODM) and defatted sun‐dried (DSDM) maggot meals respectively. Fish were fed ad libitum in triplicate treatments for 56 days in glass tanks. Biological evaluations of the fish were based on growth performance and nutrient utilization indices. The result of the nutrient composition analysis showed that processing methods of defattening and drying influenced the nutrient density of maggot meal, with crude protein content ranging between 43.30% and 46.70% for full‐fat sun‐dried and hydrolysed/defatted oven‐dried maggot meals respectively. The result showed that growth performance and nutrient utilization of fish fed DODM and DSDM dietary inclusions were not significantly different and similar to fish fed the fish meal‐based diet. However, fish fed the diet containing SDM exhibited lower daily weight gain, protein efficiency ratio and specific growth. Generally, fish performed better when fed diets containing defatted maggot meals than full‐fat maggot meal, and compared favourably with fish fed the fish meal‐based diet.     

Potential use of Artemia biomass by‐products from Artemia cyst production for the nursing of goby Pseudapocryptes elongatus in Vietnam: effects on growth and feed utilization

The present study was performed to evaluate the effect of using Artemia biomass, by‐product from Artemia cyst production on growth and feed utilization of goby Pseudapocryptes elongatus fingerlings. A control diet containing fishmeal as main protein source was compared with four experimental diets in which fishmeal protein was replaced by increasing dietary levels of Artemia protein, namely 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%. The five test diets were compared with a commercial diet and dried Artemia. All diets were formulated to be equivalent in crude protein (360–370 g kg^?1) and lipid (58–65 g kg^?1). The experiment was conducted in 80 L plastic tanks filled with water at a salinity of 15 g L^?1. Goby fingerlings with 0.21 g initial weight were fed the test diets for 30 days. The results showed that weight gain and specific growth rate of goby were positively correlated with total feed intake. Moreover, growth performances and feed utilization in the fry receiving the commercial feed and fishmeal control diet were similar, both were inferior to the groups fed dried Artemia and the based formulated diets. These results illustrate that both dried Artemia and Artemia‐based feeds can be used for feeding goby fingerlings, indicating the high potential of using locally produced Artemia biomass, which could contribute to reduce the reliance on fishmeal and improve profits for Artemia producers.     

Growth performance,survival, feed utilization and nutrient utilization of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) larvae co‐fed Artemia and a micro‐diet containing freshwater atyid shrimp (Caridina nilotica) during weaning

Problems of limited number of dry feeds as supplement or replacement of live feeds have led to poor larval nutrition in many species of fish. Therefore, the suitability of co‐feeding 8‐day‐old African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) posthatch larvae using live feed (Artemia salina) and formulated dry diet containing freshwater atyid shrimp (Caridina nilotica) during weaning was investigated. The experiment ended after 21 days of culture and respective groups compared on the basis of growth performance, survival, feed utilization and nutrient utilization. Larvae co‐fed using 50%Artemia and 50% formulated dry diet resulted in significantly (P < 0.05) better growth performance, food gain ratio (FGR), protein efficiency ratio (PER) and productive protein values (PPV) than other treatments. The lowest growth performance occurred in larvae weaned using 100% formulated and commercial dry diets. Better survival of over 90% was obtained in larvae weaned using 50%Artemia and 50% dry diet, while abrupt weaning using 100% dry diets resulted in lower survival (<75%). These results support a recommendation of co‐feeding C. gariepinus larvae using a formulated dry diet containing C. nilotica and 50% live feed when weaning is performed after 8 days posthatching period.     

Effects of supplementing methionine hydroxy analogue in soybean meal and distiller's dried grain-based diets on the performance and nutrient retention of rainbow trout [Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum)]

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of supplementing methionine hydroxy analogue (MHA) on the performance, body composition, and nutrition retention of rainbow trout. In experiment 1, a 2×4 factorial arrangement with two MHA supplemental levels (with and without) and four fish meal replacement levels (25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%, replaced with soybean meal (SBM) and wheat gluten) was used. A fish meal diet was included as a control. Results showed that fish meal replacement levels had significant effects on fish weight gain (WG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), body moisture, crude protein, crude fat, and ash (P<0.05). In experiment 2, a fish meal reference diet and seven other diets were made using SBM and distiller's dried grain with solubles supplemented with 0, 0, 0.55, 1.1, 1.65, 2.2, and 2.75 g MHA kg^?1 diet to replace 50% of fish meal. WG, FCR, and apparent retention of crude protein and phosphorus were significantly improved in rainbow trout fed the diet containing 1.65 g MHA kg^?1 diet compared with fish fed an equivalent diet without MHA.     

Partial and complete replacement of fish meal with gambusia meal in diets for red tilapia 'Oreochromis niloticus × O. mossambicus'

A 12‐week experiment was conducted to evaluate the suitability of gambusia (Gambusia affinis) fish meal (GFM) as a partial and complete substitute for the protein supplied by herring fish meal (HFM) in diets for red tilapia fingerlings (mean weight 0.42 g). Seven isonitrogenous (35% crude protein), isolipidic (9% fat) and isoenergetic (15.9 kJ DE‐g^?1 diets were formulated in which GFM replaced 0.0, 10, 25, 50, 75, 90 and 100% of the protein supplied by HFM. In general, GFM exhibited good potential as a substitute for HFM in red tilapia diets with no adverse effects on growth, feed efficiency, body composition, blood parameters or apparent digestibility of dry matter, protein and gross energy compared with the HFM‐based control diet. Growth performance (in terms of final weight, weight gain, per cent increase in weight and growth rate) of fish fed diets containing GFM at 25 or 50% level of replacement for HFM‐protein (diets 3 and 4) was statistically higher than for fish fed diets containing GFM at replacement levels >50%. Diet 4 had the best economic efficiency of fish weight gain. Partial or complete substitution of GFM for HFM did not affect feed utilization efficiency (in terms of FCR, FER, PER and APU) or digestibility coefficients of dry matter, protein and gross energy compared with those of the HFM‐based diet. Apparent protein digestibility varied little between diets, ranging from 84.2 to 87.3% with no significant differences. Survival of fish fed all the experimental diets (except for fish fed GFM at 90 or 100% level of replacement for HFM‐protein) was comparable with that of fish fed the control diet and ranged from 91.7 to 98.3%.     

Comparative nutritional evaluation of differentially processed mucuna seeds [Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC. var. utilis (Wall ex Wight) Baker ex Burck] on growth performance, feed utilization and body composition in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.)

A fish feeding trial was conducted in a warm‐water recirculating system for 8 weeks to assess the nutritive value of processed mucuna seeds as a dietary protein replacement for fish meal in practical diets of tilapia. Diets 2–6 contained mucuna seeds processed as follows: raw, soaked in water, soaked in sodium bicarbonate solution (0.07%), soaked in ascorbic acid solution (0.1%) or soaked in water containing 3% of freeze‐dried moringa leaf powder, followed by autoclaving. The mucuna seed meals were then used to replace 25% of the total dietary protein in each diet. The performance of fish fed these diets was compared with fish fed a fish meal‐based control diet (diet 1), which contained 35% protein. All diets were prepared to be isonitrogenous and isoenergetic. Each treatment had three replicates, using seven fish per aquarium, with a mean initial body weight of 3.9 ± 0.06 g. Fish were fed five times about their maintenance level (3.0 g feed × body weight (kg)^?0.8 day^?1), and no mortality was observed during the experiment. The growth rate, feed conversion ratio and protein productive value of fish fed diets 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6 were similar. However, with regard to energy retention and apparent net lipid utilization, the values observed in fish fed diet 1 were similar to those of fish fed diets 5 and 6, and diet 6, and significantly higher than other dietary groups. Fish fed diet 2 showed a significantly (P < 0.05) reduced growth performance, higher carcass moisture and ash contents, and lower levels of lipid and energy compared with all other dietary groups. Fish fed diet 2 had a significantly lower plasma cholesterol level compared with other diets. However, no significant variation of muscle cholesterol was found between the dietary groups. Even though the hepato‐somatic index of the fish fed diets 3, 4, 5 and 6 was significantly lower than diet 1, these values appeared to be significantly higher compared with fish fed diet 2. The present study indicates that the inclusion of mucuna seed meal (replacement of 25% of total dietary protein of feed) after soaking in any one of the tested solutions followed by autoclaving significantly improved the growth performance and feed utilization of tilapia compared with that of the raw seeds. Moreover, these values were similar to the performance obtained with the fish meal‐based control diet 1. This might be due to the relative reduction of anti‐nutrients, particularly the non‐protein amino acid 3, 4‐dihydroxyphenylalanine, and increased palatability and nutrient availability of processed beans.