Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) meal in the diets improved the reproductive performance of tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis) broodstock

A three‐month feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary krill meal on the reproductive performance of tongue sole broodstock. Three diets were formulated to contain different levels of krill meal, 0 (Diet K‐0), 10 (K‐100) and 200 (K‐200) g kg^–1 dry matter, replacing the corresponding contents of protein and lipid from fishmeal and fish oil. Each diet was assigned to triplicate tanks. Compared with K‐0, both K‐100 and K‐200 increased the egg properties such as buoyant eggs rate, egg diameter, oil droplet diameter and SOD activity of the fertilized egg. However, the maturation rate, serum estradiol content, the relative fecundity and hatching rate were improved only by K‐100. The krill meal supplementation increased the concentrations of astaxanthin and n‐3 fatty acids in eggs, but decreased the n‐6 fatty acid concentrations. Both K‐100 and K‐200 increased the survival activity index, but the larval deformity rate was decreased only by K‐100. At 15 DPH, the larval length and the digestive enzyme activities were significantly higher in group K‐200 compared with groups K‐0 and K‐100. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of krill meal, at the level of 100 or 200 g kg^–1 dry matter in exchange of fishmeal and fish oil had the considerable positive effects on C. semilaevis reproduction.