Open AccessResponse of Pond‐raised Fingerling Hybrid Catfish, ♀ Ictalurus punctatus × ♂ Ictalurus furcatus , to Dietary Protein Concentrations and Sources
Author(s) -
Li Menghe H.,
Wise David J.,
Mischke Charles C.,
Kumar Ganesh,
Lucas Penelope M.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of the world aquaculture society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.655
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1749-7345
pISSN - 0893-8849
DOI - 10.1111/jwas.12440
Subject(s) - ictalurus , biology , catfish , fish meal , zoology , feed conversion ratio , net protein utilization , fishery , dietary protein , fish <actinopterygii> , food science , protein efficiency ratio , body weight , endocrinology
This study examined four experimental diets with different protein concentrations and sources for pond‐raised fingerling hybrid catfish, ♀ Ictalurus punctatus × ♂ Ictalurus furcatus . A 35% protein diet with fishmeal was used as the control diet. Test diets were 32 and 28% all‐plant‐protein diets and a 28% protein diet with porcine meat, bone, and blood meal. Small fingerlings with a mean initial weight of 2.9 g/fish were stocked into 20 earthen ponds (0.04 ha) at a density of 172,970 fish/ha. They were fed once daily to apparent satiation for 107 d. No significant differences were observed for total diet fed, gross yield, final weight, survival, or condition factor among dietary treatments. However, fish fed the 28 and 32% all‐plant‐protein diets had a significantly higher feed conversion ratio than fish fed the 35% protein diet with fishmeal. There were no significant differences in chlorophyll a and nitrite concentrations in the pond water, but ponds receiving the 35% protein diet had significantly higher ammonia than those receiving 28% protein diets. Economic analysis suggested potential cost savings by using low‐protein and all‐plant‐protein diets for hybrid catfish fingerling production.