Evaluation of protein: lipid ratio on growth, feed efficiency, and metabolic response in juvenile yellowtail snapper Ocyurus chrysurus (Bloch, 1791)

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate juveniles' Ocyurus chrysurus (13.7 ± 0.45 g initial weight) to utilize lipid as an energy source on growth, feed efficiency, body composition, digestive and hepatic enzyme activities. Four diets of two protein levels (40 and 50%) with two lipid levels (6 and 12%) and 2% of digestible carbohydrates were formulated. Fish were fed for 60 days to apparent satiation at a stocking density of 10 fish per tank (100 L). Growth gain of fish fed 50% dietary protein was higher than of fish fed 40% dietary protein (P < 0.05). However, feed efficiency was significantly higher at 12 than 6% of dietary lipid. Whole-body lipid and glycogen in the liver increased dramatically with dietary lipid content-alkaline protease activity trend increased as dietary protein increased. Trypsin activity increased significantly as dietary lipid decreased, whereas chymotrypsin activity showed the opposite trend (P < 0.05). Bile salt-dependent lipase activity trend towards increasing as dietary energy decreased. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGDH), and fructose-1, 6-biphosphatase (FBPase) significantly increased with increasing dietary lipid levels. However, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity increased with dietary protein content. On the other side, pyruvate kinase (PK) activity increased with both dietary protein and lipid content. This study indicates that high dietary lipid (12%) improved the feed efficiency but did not reduce dietary protein demand in juveniles O. chrysurus.