Calcium Requirement of Tiger Puffer Fed a Semi-Purified Diet

Juvenile tiger puffer (Takifugu rubripes) were fed semi-purified diets with graded levels (0–0.40%) of calcium (Ca) supplements for 8 weeks at a temperature of 23.0–25.5 °C. At the end of the feeding experiment, average final body weight increased with increasing dietary Ca levels. A diet without Ca supplement resulted in poor average final body weight and 0.05% dietary Ca supplement could not significantly improve the growth. However, supplemental Ca levels of 0.10–0.40% significantly increased growth. Dietary Ca supplements of 0.10% or more also improved the feed efficiency in tiger puffer. Ca and phosphorus contents of the bone were independent of dietary Ca supplements. However, 0.40% Ca in the diet decreased the zinc and manganese contents of bone. Results indicated that supplemental Ca levels of 0.10–0.20% in a semi-purified diet were required to maintain normal growth, feed utilization and bone mineralization of tiger puffer.