Effect of dietary lipid levels on growth performance, fatty acid profile and enzymatic activity of juvenile swimming crab,Portunus trituberculatus

Abstract

The main objective of this investigation was to study the lipid requirements of the early juvenile (C1) swimming crab (Portunus trituberculatus) based on growth performance, survival, moulting and fatty acid profile. Four test diets were formulated with graded lipid levels (3.63%, 6.70%, 10.72% and 13.91%). Each diet was fed to 4 replicates of crabs (30 crabs per replicate initial weight (8.4 ± 0.1 mg). In this study, crabs fed diets with 13.91% lipid had significantly (p < 0.05) higher survival than crabs fed with 3.63% lipid, but no significant (p > 0.05) improvement of survival was observed when dietary lipid increase from 6.70% to 13.91%. Crabs fed diets with 10.72% and 13.91% lipid had significant higher weight gain(WG) than crabs fed with 3.63% lipid. While crabs fed with diets containing 6.70%, 10.72% and 13.91% lipid showed no significant (p > 0.05) difference in weight gain(WG). Moreover, the lowest moulting number was observed in crabs fed diets with 3.63% lipid, but there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) among other groups. The content of LC-PUFA and DHA in the crabs fed diets with 3.63% lipid was significant (p < 0.05) lower compared to other groups. But there was no significant (p > 0.05) difference in EPA and ARA content among all groups. The activity of lipase increased as dietary lipid level increased (from 6.70% to 10.72%). However, beyond 10.72%, a significant (p < 0.05) decreased in lipase activity was observed. The regression analysis of weight gain data indicated that crab fed diet containing 10.47% lipid level is considered as optimum lipid level for its maximum growth and moulting process.