Alternative vegetable lipid sources in diets for grouper, Epinephelus coioides (Hamilton): effects on growth, and muscle and liver fatty acid composition

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different oils on growth performance and lipid metabolism of the grouper, Epinephelus coioides. Five experimental fish meal‐based isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets were formulated containing either 5.5%‐added fish oil (FO), soybean oil (SBO), corn oil (CO), sunflower oil (SFO) or peanut oil (PO). Each diet was fed to triplicate groups of 20 fish (initial body weight 13.2±0.02 g) grown in seawater at 28.0–30.5 °C for 8 weeks. Fish were fed twice a day to visual satiety. No significant differences in the survival, weight gain, specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio, protein efficiency ratio or hepatosomatic index were found between fish fed the FO or vegetable oils (VO) diets. Dietary lipid sources did not affect whole‐body composition among grouper fed the various diets. Muscle of fish fed the FO diet had significantly higher levels of 14:0, 16:0, 16:1n‐7, 20:5n‐3[eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)] and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)+EPA (except for PO fed fish) compared with those of fish fed VO diets. However, the levels of 18:1n‐9, 18:2n‐6 and DHA/EPA ratios in the muscle of fish fed FO diet were significantly lower than those of fish fed the VO diets. The liver of fish fed the FO diet had significantly higher levels of 18:0, 20:5n‐3, 22:6n‐3, n‐3 highly unsaturated fatty acids and DHA+EPA than those of fish fed the VO diets, whereas increases in 18:1n‐9, 18:2n‐6 and mono‐unsaturated fatty acid levels were observed in the liver of fish fed the VO diets.     

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.     

Nucleotide sequence and mRNA expression analysis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">β</Emphasis>-actin gene in the orange-spotted grouper <Emphasis Type="Italic">Epinephelus coioides</Emphasis>

The full-length cDNA, encoding the orange-spotted grouper β-actin and spanning 1920 bp including a poly (A) tail, was cloned from its brain cDNA library. The open reading frame encodes a protein of 375 amino acids. Sequence analysis indicated that it contained the typical structural features of cytoplasmic actins, and showed higher homology with other vertebrate β-actin than any other members of the actin family. The partial genomic sequence indicated that the organization of the β-actin gene in the orange-spotted grouper might also be conserved. Northern blot analysis indicated that it was expressed at high levels in the brain, spleen, adipose tissue, ovary, and liver, but at low levels in the gill filament and heart, and at a very low level in the kidney. The expression of β-actin gene in the skeletal muscle was barely detectable. These results indicated that the expression of the orange-spotted grouper β-actin gene showed significant variation in different tissues. Therefore, caution should be taken when using β-actin gene as an internal control in the normalization of gene expression among tissues. Whereas, semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis indicated that treatment with 17α–methyltestosterone (MT) had little effect on the mRNA expression of β-actin gene in the in vitro incubated hypothalamus, pituitary, and ovary fragments of the orange-spotted grouper, suggesting β-actin can be used as an internal control for RT-PCR analysis of MT effects on gene expression in these tissues.     

Effects of dietary thiamin on the physiological status of the grouper <Emphasis Type="Italic">Epinephelus coioides</Emphasis>

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary thiamin on the physiological status of the juvenile grouper, Epinephelus coioides. Graded levels of thiamin (0.08, 0.50, 2.12, 3.15, 4.63, 12.37 mg thiamin kg⁻¹ diet) were fed to grouper juveniles (mean weight: 16.97 ± 0.14 g) for 10 weeks. Although fish fed the thiamin-deficient (TD) diet showed no obvious symptoms of thiamin deficiency or increased mortality, those fed the lowest doses of thiamin (0.08 and 0.50 mg thiamin kg⁻¹ diet) had significantly decreased transketolase activity in the liver. In addition, the level of liver thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in fish fed the TD diet was 33–67% higher than that in fish with the thiamin-supplemented diet. There were no significant differences in superoxide dismutase activity between the different groups of fish.     

Estimation of flow in a rearing tank of marine fish larvae by simplified numerical computation—a case of two-dimensional flow

Marine fish larvae are fragile against physical stress. However, few studies have been conducted to evaluate the flow field in a rearing tank, which is assumed to provide a high degree of physical stress to marine fish larvae. The flow field in a rearing tank (volume of 1 m³) is generated by aerators, which are commonly used to provide oxygen.

This paper is a report on the estimation of stationary flow in the rearing tank of marine fish larvae. The larvae are seven band grouper larvae of Epinephelus septemfasciatus, which have a very low survival rate immediately after the hatching of eggs. The experiments of rearing of seven band grouper larvae were carried out using rearing tanks with four aeration rates (1000, 200, 50 ml/min, and no aeration). The effects of aeration on the survival and floating death of seven band grouper larvae were examined. The experiments confirmed that the mass mortality of seven band grouper larvae depends on the flow rate in the rearing tank. Aeration at 200 ml/min resulted in the highest survival and growth rates of grouper larvae.

Larvae-rearing experiments provided evidence that the flow rates of the rearing tanks are very important design aspects of rearing tanks. The estimation of flow in a rearing tank for an aerating rate of 200 ml/min was carried out by numerical calculation. The computation was simplified by a two-dimensional flow based on experimental results. The calculated flow in the rearing tank was compared with the experimental one. The calculation of the stationary flow in the rearing tank showed good qualitative and quantitative agreement with the experimental results. The numerical estimation of the flow in a rearing tank of marine fish larvae was confirmed to be effective and satisfactory for the design of a tank that would provide optimum performance.     

浅山区塘坝养殖方正银鲫试验研究

2002年4月10日～2002年10月15日在方正县选择浅山区塘坝进行方正银鲫养殖试验研究。结果表明：在低温浅山区塘坝进行方正银鲫为主的养殖是可行的，经：170d的养殖，方正银鲫由放养时的l00g到出池时250g，亩利润为1233．4元，同时，搭配大规格鲢鳙鱼，可取得高产高效的养殖效果。     

Rat Ghrelin Stimulates GH Release and GH mRNA Expressionin the Pituitary of Orange-spotted Grouper, <Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">Epinephelus Coioides</Emphasis>

Ghrelin was recently demonstrated as an endogenous ligand of the growth hormone (GH) secretagogue receptor (GHS-R), which could promote the release of GH in mammal significantly. The present study conducted to determine whether ghrelin stimulate the release and synthesis of GH in orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides). Rat ghrelin was incubated with the pituitary fragments of grouper in static culture system. The culture medium was collected at 1, 6, 12, 18 and 24 h after incubation to detect the contents of GH by homologous radioimmunoassay. The level of GH mRNA in the pituitary fragments was measured by a sensitive chemiluminescent ribonuclease protection assay. The results showed that rat ghrelin not only stimulated the release of GH but also augmented the GH mRNA level in grouper. It suggested that the ghrelin-like peptide and the GHS-R involved in the regulation of GH synthesis and release in grouper. The present study would provide a better understanding of the regulatory mechanism of GH release in marine fish.     

棕点石斑鱼网箱养殖试验研究

[目的]开发利用浅海网箱人工养殖棕点石斑鱼技术,并提高棕点石斑鱼的产量。[方法]利用浅海网箱进行棕点石斑鱼的人工养殖试验,探讨棕点石斑鱼网箱养殖的可行性和经济效益。[结果]放养9万尾鱼苗,经过18个月的网箱养殖试验,共养成体重为485～520 g的商品鱼73 297尾,平均成活率达81.4%,共获利润5 401 200元。[结论]通过浅海网箱养殖棕点石斑鱼是可行的,并可获得很好的经济效益。     

Changes in Na+,K+-ATPase activity and gill chloride cell morphology in the grouper Epinephelus coioides larvae and juveniles in response to salinity and temperature

The activity of the enzyme Na⁺,K⁺-ATPase and morphological changes of gill chloride cells in grouper, Epinephelus coioides larvae and juveniles were determined 6–48 h after abrupt transfer from ambient rearing conditions (30–32 ppt, 26.5–30 °C) to different salinity (8, 18, 32, 40 ppt) and temperature (25, 30 °C) combinations. Na⁺,K⁺-ATPase activity in day 20 larvae did not change at salinities 8–32 ppt. Activity decreased significantly (P <0.01) after exposure to 40 ppt at 25–30 °C, which was accompanied by an increase (P <0.05) in density and fractional area of chloride cells. Enzyme activity in 40 ppt did not reach a stable level and larvae failed to recover from an osmotic imbalance that produced a low survival at 25 °C and death of all larvae at 30 °C. Enzyme activity and chloride cell morphology in day 40 groupers did not change in 8–40 ppt at 25 °C and 8–32 ppt at 30 °C. A significant decrease and a subsequent increase in Na⁺,K⁺-ATPase activity in 40 ppt at 30 °C was associated with the increase in chloride cell density resulting in an increased fractional area but a decreased cell size. Enzyme activity and chloride cells of day 60 grouper were unaffected by abrupt transfer to test salinities and temperatures. These results demonstrate that grouper larvae and juveniles are efficient osmoregulators over a wide range of salinities. Salinity adaptation showed an ontogenetic shift as the larvae grew and reached the juvenile stage. This development of tolerance limits may reflect their response to actual conditions existing in the natural environment.