Effect of High Salt Concentrations on some Growth Characteristics and Feed Intake Rate of Ctenopharyngodon idella

Abstract

Grass carp at a weight of 34.68 + 2 g were gradually exposed to four saline concentrations: tap water (0.1), 3, 6, 9, and 12 gm/litter, and the first concentration represented a control treatment. Fish were fed on a diet with a protein content of 30% for ten weeks. Results of the growth experiment showed that the feed conversion rate was 2.46, 3.58, 4.84, 6.77, and -8.56 in the first to fifth treatments, respectively, and the rate feed conversion efficiency was 40.65, 27. 93, 20.66, 14.77 and 11.68 %, while the protein intake was 22.38, 20.44, 18.86, 17.47 and 16.56 g in salt concentrations of 0.1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 g/L, respectively. In another experiment to study the effect of salt acclimatization on the rate of feed intake, grass carp with an average weight of 25.66 + 2 gm were exposed to the previous salt concentrations and fed on the same ratio in the growth experiment. Feed intake as a percentage of body weight amounted to 4.62, 4.12, 3.78, 3.24, and 2.48% respectively. It was concluded from the current study that the growth characteristics of grass carp were negatively affected by high salt concentrations.