Open AccessDietary amino acid profile affects muscle cellularity, growth, survival and ammonia excretion of meagre ( Argyrosomus regius) larvae
Author(s) -
Saavedra M.,
Pereira T.G.,
CandeiasMendes A.,
Conceição L.E.C.,
Teixeira B.,
Mendes R.,
PousãoFerreira P.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
aquaculture nutrition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.941
H-Index - 79
eISSN - 1365-2095
pISSN - 1353-5773
DOI - 10.1111/anu.12610
Subject(s) - biology , larva , excretion , zoology , muscle hypertrophy , amino acid , ammonia , endocrinology , biochemistry , ecology
Formulation of diets according to fish amino acid ( AA ) qualitative requirements may improve fish growth. Two diets with different AA profiles were tested on 16‐day‐old meagre during 20 days. The first diet had an AA profile closer to meagre larval AA requirements ( BAL ), whereas the second had a different AA profile ( UNBAL ). Results showed that larvae fed the diet with higher similarities to the AA profile of meagre carcass had a higher final weight (19.8 ± 0.5 mg versus 13.4 ± 1.8 mg) and lower ammonia excretion after being fed (0.6 ± 0.1 ml/(g DW . larvae. h) and 0.8 ± 0.1 ml/(g DW larvae. h)). A higher mean fibre area was obtained in 36 DAH larvae fed the BAL diet (224.8 ± 33.3 μm 2 versus 158.8 ± 34.5 μm 2 ) as well as higher larval weight. When fibre area distribution was analysed, a higher frequency of larger fibres was observed in 36 DAH BAL larvae, suggesting that fibre hypertrophy had a higher importance in this treatment. In conclusion, this study shows that meagre larvae fed a diet with an AA profile closer to their requirements had lower nitrogen losses and higher final weight, as result of higher muscle hypertrophy.