Journal of Tropical Oceanography ›› 2010, Vol. 29 ›› Issue (4): 94-101.doi: 10.11978/j.issn.1009-5470.2010.04.094cstr: 32234.14.j.issn.1009-5470.2010.04.094

• Marine biology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effects of ration level and feed type on growth and nitrogen budget of young cobia (Rachycentron canadum)

SUN Li-hua1, 3, CHEN Hao-ru1, 3, HUANG Hong-hui1, 2, HUANG Liang-min1, 3   

  1. 1. South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, CAS, Guangzhou 510301, China; 2. Key and Open Laboratory of Fishery Ecology and Environment, Ministry of Agriculture; Key Laboratory of Fishery Ecology and Environment, Guangdong Province, Guangzhou 510301, China; 3. Marine Biology Research Station at Daya Bay, CAS, Shenzhen 518121, China
  • Received:2008-04-28 Revised:2008-09-22 Online:2010-07-31 Published:2010-07-29
  • About author:孙丽华(1976—), 女, 湖南省邵阳市人, 博士, 近年主要从事海水鱼类生理生态学研究。
  • Supported by:

    广东省科技厅“十五”重大科技专项资助项目(2001A305020201); 农业部渔业生态环境重点实验室开放基金资助; 广东省渔
    业生态环境重点实验室开放基金资助(2006-5); 中国科学院南海海洋研究所青年人才领域前沿项目资助(SQ200706)

Abstract:

Growth and nitrogen budget of young cobia (initial body weight 28g or so) at different ration levels (from starvation to satiation) for different feed types (i.e. NSF-natural sardine fish, CEFF-commercial eel formulated feed and CMFF-commercial marine-fish formulated feed) were studied, and the relationships between growth as well as nitrogenous excretion and ration were established in this paper. The results showed that as ration increased specific growth rate (SGR) of young cobia increased with a decelerating pattern for NSF and CEFF and with a linear pattern for CMFF. Among three feed type groups young cobia had a similar SGR between NSF and CEFF, but the SGR for NSF and CEFF was much higher than that for CMFF. As ration increased feed conversion efficiency (FCE) of young cobia increased or first increased then decreased and maximized at satiation or sub-satiation ration for NSF and CEFF, and increased along and maximized at satiation ration for CMFF. Among three feed type groups feed conversion efficiency in dry weight and nitrogen for NSF was highest, second for CEFF and both were much higher than that for CMFF. Food nitrogen (CN), faeces nitrogen (FN), growth nitrogen (GN) and excretion nitrogen (UN) all increased with increased ration for three feed types. CN, GN and UN for NSF and CEFF were much more than those for CMFF, but FN for CMFF was the most, second for CEFF and both were much more than that for NSF. The nitrogen budgets at satiation and sub-satiation ration for NSF, CEFF and CMFF were 100CN = 1.1(0.9)FN + 27.0(29.3)GN + 71.9(69.8)UN, 100CN = 5.2(4.3)FN + 27.0(28.7)GN + 67.8(67.0)UN and 100CN = 9.9(8.4)FN + 21.6(10.1)GN + 68.5(81.5)UN (the data in bracket expressed those at sub-satiation ration), respectively. Both the proportions of feed nitrogen lost in faeces and the variations of the proportions for three feed types were small. For NSF and CEFF at sub-satiation ration the proportion of feed nitrogen stored as growth was a little more than and the proportion of feed nitrogen lost in nitrogen was a little less than those at satiation ration, but for CMFF at satiation ration the proportion of feed nitrogen stored as growth was much more than and the proportion of feed nitrogen lost in nitrogen was much less than those at sub-satiation ration. So, nitrogenous excretion and nitrogen budget of young cobia were affected obviously by both ration level and feed type, and increased feed nitrogen was the major reason for the increased excretion nitrogen no matter what feed was used. Based on the specific growth rate, feed conversion efficiency, nitrogenous excretion and nitrogen budget it could be concluded that NSF was proposed as the preference for the diet choice in cobia artificial breeding and CEFF secondly. Ration level with the range 70%−100% of satiation ration was thought suitable for cobia artificial breeding at this growth stage when fish fed on NSF and CEFF and only satiation ration on CMFF.

Key words: young cobia (Rachycentron canadum), ration level, feed type, growth, nitrogen budget