Effect of dietary phosphorus levels on growth, body composition, muscle and bone mineral concentrations for orange-spotted grouper Epinephelus coioides reared in floating cages.

摘要

A feeding experiment was conducted in floating cages (1.5x1.0x2.0 m) to determine the requirement of dietary phosphorus by juvenile orange-spotted grouper Epinephelus coioides. Five isonitrogenous (approximately 54% CP) fishmeal-casein-based diets that contained 0.68, 0.77, 0.86, 1.02 and 1.21% total phosphorus from ingredients and supplemental monocalcium phosphate (MCP: 0, 0.75, 1.51, 2.26, 3.02%) were fed to the fish previously fed a basal diet (0.68% total phosphorus) for 2 wk. Fish were fed in triplicate cages with one of the diets twice daily to satiation. After 8 wk of feeding, survival ranged from 70.0% to 81.7% with no significant difference among dietary treatments. The relative weight gain, specific growth rate, muscle lipid, ash, calcium, iron, zinc and phosphorus, bone ash, phosphorus, iron, and zinc were significantly affected by dietary phosphorus level. There were no significant effects of increasing total dietary phosphorus on hepatosomatic index, viscerasomatic index, condition factor, muscle moisture and protein, muscle magnesium, and manganese; and bone calcium, magnesium and manganese. Based on relative weight gain, specific growth rate and bone phosphorus, a dietary level of 0.86% total phosphorus is recommended for juvenile grouper growing in floating cages.