Suitable Protein and Lipid Levels in Diet for Fingerlings of Red Sea Bream Pagrus major

Abstract

Two feeding experiments were conducted to determine the suitable dietary protein and lipid levels for fingerlings of red sea bream by feeding them with various white fish meal-casein diets containing different levels of protein (CP : 37-52%) and lipid (CL : 5-20%). In Experiment I, the growth rate and feed efficiency increased with increasing CP content in diet, both values reaching a maximum at the diet level of 52%. In Experiment II, the growth rate and feed efficiency were higher for diets containing 52% CP, compared to 42% CP groups, irrespective of the lipid levels. On the other hand, with an increase in the amount of dietary n-3HUFA, the values for growth rate, feed efficiency, and protein efficiency ratio increased, recording high in diets combining 52% CP with 15 and 20% lipids. This result indicated that the growth of red sea bream fingerlings was influenced by not only dietary protein and lipid levels but also n-3HUFA contents in diet. It is also suggested that the suitable CP and CL levels in diet for red sea bream fingerlings may be around 52% and 15%, respectively. © 1991, The Japanese Society of Fisheries Science. All rights reserved.