ALBERT

Notes: Abstract.— A 12-wk feeding trial was conducted in aquaria with juvenile (36.0 ± 1.2 g) largemouth bass Microptents salmoides to examine the effects of dietary supplementation of methionine, lysine, and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) on growth, feed conversion and body composition. Diets were formulated to increase dietary concentrations of methionine. lysine, and PUFAs to match levels found in whole body samples of largemouth bass. The control diet was formulated similar to diets previously tested for largemouth bass. Diets 2 and 3 were similar to the control diet hut were supplemented with 2% lysine and 1% methionine, respectively. Diet 4 was formulated to increase PUFAs, especially docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (22:6n-3), by replacing menhaden fish oil with squid oil. Fish were fed all they would consume in 10 min, twice daily. At harvest, there were no statistically significant differences (P 〉 0.05) in average individual weight or specific growth rate (SGR) among fish fed the four diets. The feed conversion ratio (FCR) of largemouth bass fed the diet supplemented with methionine (1.7) was significantly lower (P≤ 0.05) than fish fed the control diet (2.5). Fish fed the diet high in PUFA had significantly lower (P≤ 0.05) whole body lipid levels and significantly higher (P≤ 0.05) protein levels than fish fed the other three diets. These data indicate that the control diet in this study likely contained sufficient lysine, methionine and PUFA to meet the requirements of largemouth bass; however, additional methionine may improve feed conversion efficiency, and increased levels of PUFAs or other factors in squid oil may have a significant impact on body composition.

Notes: With the increasing emphasis to replace fish meal (FM) with less expensive protein sources in aquaculture diets without reducing weight gains, an 8-wk feeding trial was conducted with juvenile (15 g) sunshine bass Morone chrysops×M. saxatilis) to evaluate growth and body composition when fed diets with different levels of FM (0, 7.5, 15, and 30%). Six practical floating diets were formulated to contain 40% protein and similar energy levels, with various percentages of FM, meat-and-bone meal (MBM), soybean meal (SBM), poultry by-product meal (PBM), and/or distillers grains with solubles (DGS). Ten fish were stocked into each of 24 110-L aquaria and were fed twice daily ad libitum (0730 and 1600 h). At the conclusion of the feeding trial, final weights of fish fed diet 2 (0% FM, 29% SBM, 29% MBM, and 10% DGS), diet 3 (0% FM, 32% SBM, and 28% PBM), diet 5 (15% FM and 44% SBM), and diet 6 (30% FM and 26% SBM) were not significantly different (P 〉 0.05) and averaged 72 g. However, final weights of sunshine bass fed diet 1 (0% FM, 30% SBM, and 31% MBM) and diet 4 (7.5% FM and 54% SBM) were significantly lower and averaged 55 g. Specific growth rate (SGR) of sunshine bass fed diet 4 was significantly lower (2.14) than fish fed diet 2 (2.70), diet 3 (2.80), diet 5 (2.68), and diet 6 (2.84), while feed conversion ratio (FCR) of fish fed diet 4 was significantly higher than sunshine bass fed diets 2, 3, 5, and 6. Carcass (fish were decapitated) composition of sunshine bass fed diet 4 had a significantly higher percentage of moisture (70%) and protein (54% on a dry-matter basis) than fish fed all other diets. Percentage lipid was similar among fish fed all diets and averaged 41% (dry-matter basis).Results from the present study indicate that diets in which all of the FM is replaced with a combination of animal- and plant-source proteins can be fed to sunshine bass without adverse effects on weight gain, growth rate, and body composition. Further feeding trials are needed to refine diet formulations used in the present study and should be conducted in aquaria and ponds.

Notes: Juvenile largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides, trained to accept artificial diets, were stocked into six 0.04-ha ponds at stocking densities of either 6,175 or 12,350 fish/ha. Fish were fed a floating custom-formulated diet, containing 44% protein, once daily to satiation for 12 mo (May 1994–May 1995). At final harvest, the total yield of fish was significantly greater (P 〈 0.05) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) was significantly lower, for bass stocked at the higher density (4,598 kg/ha and 2.3, respectively) than when stocked at the lower density (2,354 kg/ha and 3.3, respectively). There was no significant difference (P 〉 0.05) in average weight, length, or survival of bass stocked at the two densities. Averaged over the study period, there were no significant differences (P 〉 0.05) in total ammonia-nitrogen (TAN), nitrite-nitrogen, or un-ionized ammonia concentrations in ponds in which bass were stocked at the two densities. These data indicate that largemouth bass of the size used in this study are amenable to pond culture at densities of at least 12,350 fish/ha and that higher stocking densities may be possible.

Notes: A study was conducted to compare fatty acid composition, hatching quality, and size of nauplii from four commercial sources of brine shrimp (Artemia spp.) cyse: China (CH), Colombia (COL), Great Salt Lake (GSL), and San Francisco Bay (SFB). The CH brine shrimp had a comparatively high percentage of 20:5(n-3) fatty acid (eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA), an essential fatty acid for most Iarval fishes, which was 10.4% of the total lipids. The COL, GSL, and SFB sources of cysts contained comparatively low percentages of EPA, 2.9, 1.2, and 1.6%. respectively. Hatching quality was determined by hatching cysts in salt (NaCl) water with a specific gravity of 1.02 at 27 C for 42 h. The COL cysts had the fastest hatching rate, with 50% of the cysts hatching in 13.4 h, while CH cysts hatched at the slowest rate, requiring 25.6 h for 50% of the cysts to hatch. Total percentage hatch was not significantly different among the SFB, COL, and GSL sources, with an average hatching percentage of 84.5, while CH cysts had a significantly lower total percentage hatch of 67.5. The SFB source produced the greatest number of nauplii (1.6 ± 105 per g of cysts) with the smallest length (382 μm), while CH produced the smallest number (8.7 ± 104) with the greatest length (500 μm). These results indicate that there is great variation in nutritional quality, hatching quality, and size of nauplii among commercial sources of brine shrimp cysts, and each of these criteria should be considered in selecting brine shrimp in a development of a feeding strategy for larval culture of a particular species.

Notes: The free living nematode Panagrellus redivivus has shown promise as a live food for marine shrimp and fish. This study evaluated the effect of three media on the fatty acid (FA) profile of nematodes. The media tested were: wheat flour (WF), wheat flour plus yeast (WFY), and wheat flour plus yeast plus fish oil (WFFO).The total lipid content of nematodes grown on WFFO (14.9%) was significantly higher than the lipid content of nematodes grown on WF (2.7%) and WFY (4.4%). The lipid of nematodes grown on WFFO also contained a higher percentage of n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA) (11.2%), especially 20:5(n-3) (7.4%) and 22:6(n-3) (3.3%), than nematodes grown on WF (4.8%) and WFY (5.7%). Nematodes grown on WFFO medium had similar lipids as Artemia, especially desirable n-3 HUFA's.Total daily yield of nematodes was highest on WFY. There was no difference in yields of nematodes on WF and WFFO. This study has shown that the nutritional value of nematodes can be influenced by the media on which they are cultured. With a proper medium, cultured nematodes can provide the inexpensive, consistently nutritious live food that can be considered for larval culture of marine crustaceans and fish.

Notes: Channel catfish Zctalurus punetatus were fasted for 20, 40, 60, and 80 d. Proximate and fatty acid composition of liver, abdominal fat, muscle, and viscera were determined. Percentage moisture, protein, and lipid of viscera showed little change during the period of fasting. Percentage protein in muscle decreased (P 〈 0.05) after 20 d of fasting from time 0 (control), while percentage lipid increased (P 〈 0.05). Fish fasted for 0, 40, 60, and 80 d were not different (P 〉 0.05). In the liver, percentage lipid was higher in fish that were not fasted (0 d) than in fish fasted 20, 40, 60, and 80 d (P 〈 0.05). while percentage moisture was lower in control fish compared to all other treatments (P 〈 0.05). Fatty acid composition of muscle and liver indicated that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), 22:6(n-3), was conserved in these tissues during fasting, while oleic acid, 18:1(n-9), concentration decreased during fasting. Fatty acid composition of abdominal fat indicated that a high percentage (〉50%) of the total lipid was composed of oleic acid and there was little change in levels of individual fatty acids in abdominal fat during 80 d of fasting.

Notes: Abstract.— In an effort to feed sunshine bass Morone chrysops×M. saxatilis efficiently, promote optimal growth, and reduce labor costs associated with feeding, sunshine bass were grown in cages and fed one of four feeding frequencies: once/d, twice/d, once every other day (I X/EOD), and twice every other day (2X/EOD) for 21 wk. Juvenile sunshine bass were fed a commercial floating diet containing 40% protein and 11.5% lipid. One hundred fish were hand-counted and stocked into each of 12 3.5-m3 cages with three replications per treatment. At the conclusion of the study, percentage weight gain of sunshine bass fed twice/d was significantly (P 〈 0.05) higher (1,850%) compared to fish fed all other feeding frequencies. Specific growth rate (SGR) of fish fed twice/d was significantly higher (2.1%/d) compared to fish fed all other feeding regimes, while fish fed once/d had a higher SGR (2.0%/d) compared to fish fed I X/EOD (1.6%/d) and 2X/EOD (1.8%/d). Percentage survival was not significantly different (P 〉 0.05) among all treatments and averaged 70.4%r. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) of fish fed twice/d was significantly higher (2.40) compared to fish fed all other feeding regimes. Percentage fillet weight of fish fed twice/d was significantly higher (27.8%) compared to all other treatments. Percentage moisture, protein, lipid, and ash in fillet were not significantly different among all treatments and averaged 75.7%, 19.4%, 3.5%, and 1.2%n, respectively (wet-weight basis). Based upon data from the present study, it appears that producers growing juvenile sunshine bass in cages may want to feed fish twice daily. This feeding regimen allows for higher growth rates, without adverse effects on body or fillet compositions. However, economic analysis needs to be conducted to determine if feeding twice/d is profitable.

Notes: Three feeding experiments were conducted to evaluate growth and body composition in blue caffish Ictalurus furcatus or channel caffish I. punctatus when fed diets containing 22% protein with or without supplemented methionine and/or lysine. All experiments were conducted in 110-L aquaria that were part of a recirculating system. In Experiment 1,15 juvenile blue catfish (2.7 g) were randomly stocked into aquaria and fed one of three diets containing different (22%, 27%, and 32%) percentages of protein. Fish were fed twice daily to excess for 10 wk. In Experiment 2, juvenile blue catfish (5.4 g) were randomly stocked into aquaria and fed one of six diets containing either 22% (diet 1) or 32% (diet 2) protein. The diet containing 22% protein (diet 1) had either 0.3% crystalline L-methionine (diet 3), 0.4% crystalline L-lysine (diet 4), or 0.3% L-methionine + 0.4% L-lysine (diet 5) added. A sixth diet was formulated to contain 32% protein and 0.2% crystalline L-methionine. Fish were fed in excess for 12 wk. In Experiment 3, juvenile channel caffish (10.3 g) were stocked and fed diets 14 from Experiment 2, twice daily in excess for 8 wk.In Experiment 1, after 10 wk, final individual weight, weight gain (%), and specific growth rate (SGR) of blue catfish fed diets containing three protein levels were not significantly different (P 〉 0.05) and averaged 12.9 g, 378%, and 2.2%/d, respectively. Fish fed the diet containing 27% protein had higher (P 〈 0.05) whole-body protein (65.4%) compared to fish fed diets containing either 22% or 32% protein. In Experiment 2, final weight, weight gain (%) and SGR of blue catfish were not significantly (P 〉 0.05) different among diets and averaged 24.7 g, 355%, and 1.8%/d, respectively. Percentage whole-body protein and lipid were not significantly (P 〉 0.05) different between fish fed diets containing 22% or 32% protein. In Experiment 3, channel caffish fed a diet containing 32% protein had significantly (P 〉 0.05) higher final individual weight, weight gain (%), and SGR compared to fish fed diets containing 22% protein, with and without supplemental methionine or lysine.Results indicate that blue catfish may be able to utilize a diet with 22% protein, and that addition of crystalline methionine and/or lysine did not improve growth. However, channel catfish grown in aquaria did not appear to have similar growth when fed a diet containing 22% protein compared to fish fed 32% protein, even when supplemental methionine or lysine was added. Further research on blue catfish and the use of a low-protein diet (22% protein) needs to be conducted in ponds.

Notes: Distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) were evaluated as an ingredient in practical diets for pond culture of the freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii. Juvenile prawns averaging 0.66 ± 0.47 g were stocked into nine 0.02 ha ponds at 19,760/ha. Three isonitrogenous diets (29% crude protein) containing 0, 20, or 40% DDGS were fed to shrimp in triplicate ponds. Average yield, survival, individual weight, and feed conversion did not differ significantly (P 〉 0.05) among treatments. When averaged over the three diets, results were: yield, 833 kg/ha; survival, 75%; individual weight, 57 B; and feed conversion, 3.1. It appears that DDGS is a suitable ingredient for use in practical diets for freshwater prawns at levels of up to 40% of the total formulation, when prawns are stocked at the densities used in this study.