Evaluation of mosquito fish Gambusia holbrooki (Girard) as a partial and complete pellet replacement for juvenile barramundi Lates calcarifer (Bloch) |
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Authors: | Robert J Michael Gavin J Partridge Thomas Hofmann Emmanuel D Caro |
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Affiliation: | 1. Australian Centre for Applied Aquaculture Research, Challenger Institute of Technology, Fremantle, Australia;2. Fish Health Unit, Centre for Fish and Fisheries Research, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Australia |
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Abstract: | Barramundi (Lates calcarifer, Bloch) fed live mosquito fish (Gambusia holbrooki, Girard) exhibited faster growth and a better food conversion ratio (on a dry‐weight basis) than those fed an iso‐calorific ration of commercial barramundi pellets and a 50:50 ration of mosquito fish and pellets. The improved performance of barramundi fed mosquito fish was attributed to their higher protein content, higher protein to energy ratio and lower carbohydrate content. The essential amino acid indices and fatty acid profiles of the two diets were similar, suggesting that imbalances or deficiencies in these nutrients were not the limiting factor to the slower growth of barramundi fed on pellets. The use of mosquito fish as barramundi food offers a potential use of this noxious species and may allow barramundi to be cultured without the use of conventional fish meal. |
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Keywords: | Asian seabass nutrition live food alternate feeds inland saline aquaculture fish meal replacement |
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