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Nutrient composition of artificial feeds for aquarium fishes

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NUTRIENT COMPOSITION OF ARTIFICIAL FEEDS FOR AQUARIUM FISHES

BAM DEO PANDEY1*, N. P. SAHU2

1Department of Zoology, Guru Ghasidas University, Bilaspur- 495009 2Central Institute of Fisheries Education (Deemed University), Versova, Mumbai-400061

Aquarium fish keeping is gaining Protein requirements momentum day by day primarily due to its great export potential. The domestic market of This is one of the intensively researched ornamental fish has also increased considerably areas of fish nutrition. Fish requires 2-4 times in recent years. Traditional fish keeping, more dietary protein compared to warm- considered as a hobby previously, has now been blooded animals, due to relatively higher need turned into scientific based. However, the main of essential amino acids in fish. Further, there bottleneck of this sector is the availability of exists a difference in optimum level of protein suitable feeds. The traditional way of feeding requirement between carnivorous and live foods to aquarium fishes is becoming a big omnivorous fishes. Typically, carnivorous fish task owing to the difficulties encountered in requires 40-55 % dietary protein against only maintaining the consistent and continuous 35-45 % protein requirement in omnivorous supply of these feeds in bulk quantities. fishes. On dry weight wet basis, proteins Moreover, it is not easy to supply live foods contribute about 65-75 % of the total weight daily to the aquaria maintained by hobbyists of animal tissue. The dietary protein should be in metros. Therefore, there is no alternative but just enough for growth and repair as it is more to search for an artificial feed when commercial expensive than carbohydrates and fats. production of aquarium fishes is considered. Moreover, any excess amount of protein can The artificial feeds are known variously as be utilized for energy production. Preliminary formulated feeds or inert feeds. The important study on guppy (Poecilia reticulata) under ingredients of artificial feeds include fish meal, controlled conditions indicated a dietary protein fish oil, prawn flour, wheat flour, soyabean etc. level of 30-40 % (Table 1) for maximum growth, efficient feed conversion and better Development of a suitable artificial feed gonadal development (Shim and Chua, 1986). for aquarium fishes requires the information about the nutritional requirements, which is Factors affecting protein requirements of fish scarcely available. Thus it is high time to draw the attention of aquaculture nutritionists to Protein requirements of fish varies turn their efforts to this sector so as to generate according to temperature, protein quality, age, relevant information for further development genetic differences and dietary energy. The rise of suitable aquarium fish feed in the country. in temperature accelerates fish growth, leading The information provided in this article gives to the increase in protein requirement. an insight about the nutrition of aquarium Contrarily, low water temperature depresses fishes. growth rates and thus results in lower protein

158 Journal of Basic and Applied Biology, 5(1), 2011, pp. 158-162 © 2009, by the Centre for Biological Research, Puthalam, 629 602, TN, India Bam Deo Pandey and Sahu, 2011 Table 1. Dietary protein requirement of certain fishes

Optimum protein S. N. Fish Reference level (%) Chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus 40 at 8.3ºC 1 De Long et al. (1958) tschawytscha ) fingerlings 55 at 14.1 ºC 2 Japanese eel ( Anguilla anguilla ) 45 Takeuchi et al. (1979) Gilt head bream ( Chrysophorys 3 40 Luquet and Sabaut (1973) aurata ) 4 Sea bass ( Dicentrarchus labrax ) 47-50 Alliot et al. (1974) Grass carp fry ( Ctenopharyngodon 5 41-43 Dabrowski (1977) idella )

6 Tilapia mossambica fingerlings 29-38 Cruz and Laudencia (1977)

7 Guppy ( Poecilia reticulate ) 30-40 Shim and Chua (1986) requirement. The need of higher protein during Amino acid requirement increased temperature is probably attributed to enhanced excretion of endogenous nitrogen It has been found that fish fed with due to the increased nitrogen catabolism. diets deficient in each of the 10 essential amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, lysine, histidine, The protein quality is primarily tryptophan, valine, phenylalanine, threonine, influenced by amino acid composition. If any methionine and arginine) failed to grow until of the essential amino acids is absent or limited the missing amino acids were supplied in the in the food source, the body protein-synthesis diet. On the other hand, fish fed with diets process gets stopped or slowed down. In this deficient in each of the non-essential amino context, the use of fishmeal results in better acids (alanine, aspartic acid, citrulline, cysteine, response compared to cereal proteins or single glutamic acid, glycine, proline, hydroxyproline, cell proteins. Young, fast growing fish needs serine and tyrosine) grew like those fed with more protein than larger, slow growing and complete diet. Knowledge of specific amino acid older fish. During pre-spawning period, fish requirements of fish is necessary to prepare the requires more protein supply to produce viable protein mixtures supplemented with deficient gametes. Significant difference exists among amino acids to achieve maximum growth and different families of rainbow trout with respect protein efficiency. to growth, condition factor, chemical composition of carcass and protein digestibility Lipid and fatty acid requirements (Austreng and Refstie). The natural food consumed by tropical The energy level in diet also influences fish mostly consists of protein and fat but little carbohydrate. Dietary fat ranges 3-15 % (9-40 the protein requirement in fish. It has been % dry weight). Dietary lipids are usually added observed that increasing the energy content in in some formulated feeds for two purposes- as diet in relation to percentage of protein can a source of metabolic energy and to maintain minimize the wastage of protein as an energy structure and integrity of cellular membranes. source. Increased dietary energy level in terms In addition to nutritional quality, the added fat of fat or carbohydrate at fixed dietary protein reduces dustiness in the feed, wear on always resulted in protein utilization (Cowey machinery and also helps in reducing the cost and Sargent, 1972). of pelleting.

159 Bam Deo Pandey and Sahu, 2011 Essential fatty acids (EFAs) The very common symptom of deficiency of any of these 15 essential vitamins is the Some of the unsaturated fatty acids depressed appetite and reduced growth. Other (type of EFAs) must be supplied in the diet common symptoms are abnormal colouration, because like essential amino acids, these can not lack of coordination, nervousness, fatty liver be synthesized from other fatty acids in the and increased susceptibility to various infections. animal body. Cold water fish like rainbow trout In case of guppy, all the fish fed with diets requires ù 3 fatty acids (linolenic series) instead containing no or low vitamin A showed poor of ù 6 fatty acids (linoleic series). On the other growth, low feed efficiency and a high mortality hand, warm water fish like carp has an EFA rate (Tan, 1987). Other symptoms include requirement of both ù 3 and ù 6 fatty acids. The exophthalmia, eye haemorrhage, oedema, dark dietary linolenic acid requirement of carp is 1.5 body, opaque eyes, vertebral deformities, % of the diet. This can be achieved by adding necrosis of urinary tubules, fatty degeneration about 5 % fish oil in the dry diet. Generally, the of liver and epithelial thickening of intestine. commercial feeds contain a minimum of 12 % The dietary level of vitamin A in guppy was fishmeal and additional animal by-products, found to be 2000-4000 IU/kg diet, to provide which probably ensures them against serious optimal growth. Vitamin E in the range of 40- fatty acid deficiencies. 80 mg/kg diet is required for optimum growth in guppy (Neo, 1998). Its deficiency symptoms Carbohydrate requirements are similar to that of vitamin A, together with lordosis, scoliosis and hyperplasia of gills Though carbohydrates supply less leading to club-shaped gills. No information is energy per gram than that of lipids or proteins, available on vitamin D and K requirements of they are still the cheapest source of dietary tropical fishes. Also, the quantitative energy. Fish gets only 1.6 kcal of energy from requirements of water-soluble vitamins are still 1 g of carbohydrate compared to about 4 kcal/ fragmentary. Shim and Khoo (1987) found that g of carbohydrate in mammals. In fact vitamin B at 4 mg/kg was sufficient for carbohydrates are not essential in the fish diet, maximal growth in guppy. these are included in feeds to increase the bulk, reduce the feed costs and to improve binding Mineral requirements activity of ingredients. Carnivorous fishes are less well adapted to metabolise more amount Fish requires at least 22 minerals for of carbohydrate as it may be low in natural the normal growth and development. Of these, diets. Carbohydrates are not essential dietary seven are major elements (Na, Mg, Ca, K, Cl, P requirements and their absence does not elicit and S) while 15 are trace elements (Fe, Zn, Cu, any ill effect as these can be synthesized from Cr, Mn, I, F, Co, Mo, Se, Ni, Pb, Si, Vn and As). dietary lipid sources and the fish can grow on The major elements regulate osmotic balance diets devoid of carbohydrate (Cowey and and help in the formation of bones and other Sargent, 1972). The dietary carbohydrate level structures while trace elements are required in up to 25 % is as effective as fat as an energy minute quantities as components of enzyme source for most species. It also exerts protein- and hormone systems. In addition to ingestion sparing effect in fish. It appears that sufficient through feed, fish absorbs minerals directly carbohydrate in the diet obviates the need for from water through gills and skin. It is difficult gluconeogenesis. Besides lowering the cost of to assess mineral requirements of fish as they diets, carbohydrates also improve the pellet have ability to absorb ions from the binding capacity of the fish feed. environment. It is a very difficult task to formulate mineral free diet and maintain such Vitamin requirements environment to perform mineral requirement or mineral deficiency studies. Moreover, ion For most tropical fishes four fat-soluble exchange across the gill and skin greatly and 11 water-soluble vitamins are important. complicates the quantitative determination of 160 Bam Deo Pandey and Sahu, 2011 mineral requirements (Lall, 1979). Growth and healthy fishes. This gives an insight about the feed conversion ratio of guppy are positively quality of commercially available aquarium correlated with the dietary levels of phosphorus fish feeds in the market and to formulate and not with calcium. The phosphorus in the balanced diets by own. The quality and range of 0.53-1.23 % is required for normal quantity of each of the described nutritional growth and mineralization in these fishes. The constituents vary from species to species and deficiency of magnesium in guppy results in to certain extent within the same species. loss of appetite, high mortality, poor growth, Indeed, the nutritional requirements of tropical sluggisness, convulsions and reduction in the fish are not yet fully understood and thus magnesium content of vertebra (Shim and Ng, requires further research. 1988). The prominent symptoms of magnesium deficiency is the tissue calcinosis Bibliography observed only when the fish were fed with zero to 0.18 g of Mg/kg dry diet. To prevent this, Alliot, E., Febvre, A., Metailler, A. and the least magnesium requirement was Pastoureaud, A. 1974. Besoins nutritifs du elucidated as 0.36 g/kg dry diet, whereas for bar (Dicentrarchus labrax): Etude du taux optimum growth, it was found to be 0.54 g/kg de protein et du taux de lipide dans le dry diet. regime. Colloq. No. 1, CNEXO edition., pp. 215-231. The dietary zinc requirement of guppy has been estimated as 0.1 mg/kg dry diet based Austreng, E. and Refstie, T. 1979. Effect of on the growth rate and feed efficiency (Lee, varying dietary protein level in different 1988). Its deficiency caused poor growth, high families of rainbow trout. Aquaculture, 18: mortality, fin erosion, loss of scales and 145-156. abnormal eye lens. Iron supplements increased Cowey, C. B. and Sargent, J. R. 1972. Nutrition. growth of guppy and prevented anaemia (Ong, In: Fish Physiology, Hoar, W. S., Randell, J. 1988). However, fish may be able to satisfy this and Brett, J. R. (eds.). Academic Press, New requirement by absorption of iron directly from York, Vol. 8, pp. 1-58. the water (Zeitoun et al., 1976). There is limited information on the dietary requirements of Cruz, E. M. and Laudencia, I. L. 1977. Protein other minerals. requirements of Tilapia mossambica fingerlings. Kalikasan, Philipp. J. Biol., 6: Conclusion 177-182. Dabrowski, K. 1977. Protein requirements of The aquarium fish keeping in India has grass carp fry (Ctenopharyngodon idella). tremendous scope to become a multibillion Aquaculture, 12: 63-73. dollar industry. Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai are the major production and export centres of De Long, D. C., Halver, J. E. and Mertz, E. T. aquarium fishes. The young graduates and 1958. Nutrition of salmonids. Protein postgraduates of biological sciences may be requirements of Chinook salmon at two motivated to start their own business of water temperatures, J. Nutr., 65: 589-599. aquarium fishes. Because of tropical climate, Lall, S. P. 1979. Minerals in finfish nutrition, p. India can dominate in ornamental fish 85-96. In: Halver, J. E. and Tiews, K. (eds.). production and export. Fish nutrition is a Proc. World Symp. on finfish nutrition and critical aspect in fish farming as the fish feed finished technology. Hamburg, Berlin. accounts for around 40 % of the production cost. The nutritional requirements of aquarium Lee, T. L. 1988. Zinc requirement of guppy fishes provided in this article gives information Poecilia reticulata (Peters). Honours Thesis, on the necessity and amount of various Department of Zoology, National nutrients required for growing and maintaining University of Singapur, 97 p.

161 Bam Deo Pandey and Sahu, 2011 Luquet, P. and Sabaut, J. J. 1973. Preliminary Shim, K. F. and Ng, S. H. 1988. Magnesium study on the protein requirements of the requirement of guppy (Poecilia reticulata gilthead bream Chrysophorys aurata. Stud. Peters). Aquaculture, 73: 131-141. Rev. GFCM, 52: 81-90. Takeuchi, T., Watanabe, T. and Ogino, C. 1979. Neo, S. K. 1998. Vitamin A requirement of Optimum ratio of dietary energy to guppy (Poecilia reticulata Peters). Honours protein for carp. Bull. Jap. Soc. Sci. Fish., Thesis, Department of Zoology, National 45: 983-987. University of Singapur, 106 p. Tan, C. H. 1987. Vitamin A requirement of Ogino, C. 1980. Protein nutrition in fish. Protein guppy (Poecilia reticulata var. tuxedo). requirements of carp and rainbow trout, Bull. Jap. Soc. Sci. Fish, 46: 385-388. Honours Thesis, Department of Zoology, National University of Singapur, 88 p. Ong, S. I. 1988. Iron requirement of guppy (Poecilia reticulata Peters). Honours Thesis, Windell, J. T., Armstrong, R. and Clinebell, J. Department of Zoology, National R. 1974. Substitution of brewer’s single University of Singapur, 85 p. cell protein into pelleted fish feed. Feedstuffs, 46: 22-23. Shim, K. F. and Chua, Y. L. 1986. Some studies on the protein requirement of the guppy, Zeitoum, I. H., Ullrey, D. E., Bergen, W. G. and Poecilia reticulata (Peters). J. Aquaricult & Magee, W. T. 1976. Mineral metabolism Aquatic Sci., 4: 79-84. during the ontogenesis of rainbow trout Shim, K. F. and Khoo, H. N. 1987. Effect of (Salmo gairdneri). J. Fish. Res. Bd. Can. 33: 2587-2591. vitamin B2 on growth, feed conversion, mortality and body composition in guppy. Singapure J. Pri. Ind., 15: 91-102. * Author for correspondence

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