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Dietary folic acid ( FA ) requirement of a genetically improved Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Author(s) -
Wu J.P.,
Wu F.,
Jiang M.,
Wen H.,
Wei Q.W.,
Liu W.,
Tian J.,
Huang F.,
Yang C.G.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of applied ichthyology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.392
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 1439-0426
pISSN - 0175-8659
DOI - 10.1111/jai.13151
Subject(s) - nile tilapia , oreochromis , biology , folic acid , fishery , tilapia , fish <actinopterygii> , zoology , medicine
Summary The present study was conducted to determine the dietary folic acid ( FA ) requirement of genetically improved Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus . Experimental diets were supplemented with 0.04, 0.22, 0.48, 0.96, 2.25, or 4.07 mg/kg FA , respectively, and fed to three replicate groups of 15 tilapia (mean initial weight = 60.23 ± 2.60 g; mean ± SD ) for 12 weeks. Results showed that the weight gain rate increased linearly with increasing dietary FA from 0.04 to 0.40 mg/kg, then remained stable with higher supplementation. Similarly, hepatic FA concentration, red blood cell count ( RBC ), hemoglobin concentration ( HB ) and hematocrit ( HCT ) all markedly increased in fish fed with 4.07 mg/kg FA compared to those fed a control diet ( p < .05). Serum aspartate aminotransferase ( AST ) and alanine aminotransferase ( ALT ) activities decreased with increasing dietary FA ( p < .05). The FA requirement was estimated to be 0.4 mg/kg based on weight gain rate, and 0.7 mg/kg based on liver FA accumulation.