Feeding ratio affects growth, body composition, and blood chemistry of mandarin fish (Siniperca scherzeri) in recirculating aquaculture system

Abstract

The effects of various feeding ratios on the growth, body composition, and blood chemistry of the juvenile mandarin fish Siniperca scherzeri (initial body weight 9.6 g) were examined in recirculating freshwater system equipped with 21, 300 L tanks at 20 fish per tank. The triplicate groups of seven feeding ratios treatments were prepared: 100% (control), 95%, 90%, 85%, 80%, 75%, and 70% of satiation. The feed amount of control group was determined by supplying with apparent satiation and then the feed amounts of the other six feeding groups were determined based on the feed amount of the control group. Fish were hand-fed with test diet (55.4% crude protein) for 10 weeks. Weight gain (WG) and specific growth rate of fish fed to 100% satiation were not significantly (p > 0.05) different from those of fish fed to ≥ 80% satiation but were significantly higher than those of fish fed to 75% and 70% satiation. Feed efficiency, protein efficiency ratio, and protein retention of 100% satiation were not significantly different from those of 95% and 90% satiation but were significantly (p <0.05) lower than ≤ 85% satiation. Condition factor, hepatosomatic index, and coefficient variation were not significantly (p > 0.05) affected by feeding ratio. Whole body composition and contents of hematocrit, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase, glucose, total protein, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in blood serum were not significantly (p > 0.05) affected by the feeding ratio; however, content of total cholesterol tended to decrease as the feeding ratio decreased. Using broken-line analysis of WG, it was suggested that the optimum feeding ratio of juvenile mandarin fish, ranging from 9.0 g to 37.0 g, appeared to be 87.7% of satiation without growth inhibition.