Effect of the addition of crude fish oil (CFO) in feed to the content of EPA and DHA in mud crab (Scylla serrata)

Abstract

Mud crabs (Scylla serrata) cannot synthesize essential fatty acids, so it needs a supply of Omega-3 fatty acids. One source of unsaturated fatty acids are Omega-3 in Crude Fish Oil (CFO). CFO is a source of essential fatty acids which contains EPA and DHA. The aim is to determine the provision of CFO on trash fish feed to the content of Omega-3 in mud crab. The method is experimentally using completely randomized design with five treatments and four replications. The number of CFO doses that added in a trash fish feed are P0 (0%), P1 (2%), P2 (4%), P3 (6%) and P4 (8%). Analysis of the content of EPA and DHA in mud crab performed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry equipped with a column of silica and helium as a gas booster. The results showed that the addition of CFO on the feed provides a significantly different effect (P <0.05) of Omega-3 (EPA and DHA). Content of EPA and DHA in mud crab has shown the increased results when giving the smallest dose, 2% of CFO at P1 treatment, but when the dose was increased again to 4%, 6% and even 8% the results did not show any significant difference.