Comparisons of Salinity Adaptation in Terms of Growth, Body Composition, and Energy Budget in Juveniles of Rainbow and Steelhead Trouts (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Abstract

This study examined the effect of different salinities (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30) on the growth performance and energy budget of juveniles of two different ecotypes of Oncorhynchus mykiss, landlocked rainbow trout and anadromous steelhead trout. In the 42 d experiment, fish were cultured in three replicate tanks per salinity treatment (eight fish per tank). At the end of the experiment, the growth of rainbow and steelhead trouts was significantly higher at salinities of 5 and 10, respectively, than at all other salinities. The protein, lipid and energy content of both ecotypes declined with the increase of salinity. Based on their energy budgets, the percentage of energy consumed for growth by rainbow and steelhead trouts were significantly higher at salinities of 5 (34.00% ± 1.69%) and 10 (43.76% ± 1.29%), respectively, than at all other salinities. The percentage of energy consumed for respiration by rainbow and steelhead trouts was lower at salinities of 5 (54.90% ± 1.77%) and 10 (46.73% ± 0.62%), respectively, than at all other salinities. Our results indicated that the salinity adaptation ability of juvenile steelhead trout was slightly better than that of juvenile rainbow trout, and salinities of 10 and 5, respectively, were most suitable for growth of these two fishes.