Effects of Dietary Lipids on Growth and Feed Utilization of Jade Perch, <i>Scortum barcoo</i>

Abstract

Abstract To examine the effects of dietary lipids on the growth and feed utilization of jade perch juveniles, Scortum barcoo , diets containing 36.3% crude protein supplemented with increasing lipid levels (6, 9, 12, and 15% of the dry matter) were used to feed triplicate groups of 30 fish for 60 d. At the end of the experiment, more than 95% fish survived well from all diet groups ( P &gt; 0.05). Measurements on the weight gains and the daily specific growth rates indicated that fish fed with diets of 12 and 15% lipids exhibited higher growth rates ( P &lt; 0.05); evaluations for the feed conversion ratio and the protein efficiency ratio indicated that fish fed with 12 and 15% lipid diets used their feed and dietary proteins more efficiently ( P &lt; 0.05). The muscle lipid and dry matter contents increased dramatically in fish fed with higher dietary lipid levels ( P &lt; 0.05). The highest lipid contents were obtained from fish in the 15% lipid diet group and the highest amount of dry matters from the 12% lipid diet group. On the other hand, protein contents in fish muscles declined with increasing dietary lipid levels ( P &lt; 0.05), and the lowest values were shown in the 15% lipid diet group. Ash contents showed no significant differences from muscles of fish fed with four different diets ( P &gt; 0.05). Together, increasing lipid levels in fish diets was effective to improve fish growth, feed efficiency, and protein utilization.