Development of digestive enzymes in larvae of Mayan cichlid Cichlasoma urophthalmus

The development of digestive enzymes during the early ontogeny of the Mayan cichlid (Cichlasoma urophthalmus) was studied using biochemical and electrophoretic techniques. From yolk absorption (6?days after hatching: dah), larvae were fed Artemia nauplii until 15?dah, afterward they were fed with commercial microparticulated trout food (45% protein and 16% lipids) from 16 to 60?dah. Several samples were collected including yolk-sac larvae (considered as day 1 after hatching) and specimens up to 60?dah. Most digestive enzymes were present from yolk absorption (5?C6?dah), except for the specific acid proteases activity (pepsin-like), which increase rapidly from 8?dah up to 20?dah. Three alkaline proteases isoforms (24.0, 24.8, 84.5?kDa) were detected at 8?dah using SDS?CPAGE zymogram, corresponding to trypsin, chymotrypsin and probably leucine aminopeptidase enzymes, and only one isoform was detected (relative electromobility, Rf?=?0.54) for acid proteases (pepsin-like) from 3?dah onwards using PAGE zymogram. We concluded that C. urophthamus is a precocious fish with a great capacity to digest all kinds of food items, including artificial diets provided from 13?dah.