Optimal Dietary Protein and Lipid Levels for Growth of Long-nosed Barbel, Hemibarbus longirostris

Abstract

A 10-week feeding trial with four dietary protein levels (22%, 32%, 42% and 52%) and two dietary lipid levels (8% and 17%) was conducted to investigate the optimum dietary protein and lipid levels for growth of long-nosed barbel fingerlings. Survival rate of fish was not affected by either the dietary protein or the dietary lipid level. Weight gain and feed efficiency were affected by the dietary protein level (P<0.01), but not by the lipid level, and increased with the dietary protein level at the both lipid levels. Weight gain and feed efficiency of fish fed the 52% protein diets with 8-17% dietary lipids were not significantly different from those of fish fed the 42% protein diets with 8-17% dietary lipids and 32% protein diet with 17% dietary lipid. Daily feed intake of fish was not affected by either dietary protein or dietary lipid level. Protein efficiency ratio and protein retention rate of fish fed the 32% protein diet with 17% dietary lipid were significantly higher than those of fish fed the 52% protein diets with 8-17% dietary lipids. Moisture content of fish fed the diets containing 8% lipid were higher than those of fish fed the diets containing 17% dietary lipid at each protein level. Crude lipid content of fish fed the diets containing 17% dietary lipid were higher than that of fish the fed the diet containing 8% dietary lipid at each protein level. The results of this study indicated that 32% protein and 17% lipid could be the optimum dietary level for growth of juvenile long-nosed barbel.