Effect of Live and Formulated Diets on Growth, Feed Conversion and Meat Quality of Juvenile Milkfish, Chanos chanos (Forsskal, 1775) Reared in Seawater

Abstract

Juvenile milkfish, Chanos chanos (weight 7.4±0.2 g and length 9.1±0.2 cm) were use into three treatment groups (10 fish each) and were fed with Artemia, floating and sinking feeds with two replications. Growth parameters were measured fortnightly. Water quality was determined daily; salinity 28ppt, water temperature 26.3±1.5°C, dissolved oxygen 7.3±0.6 ml L-1, pH 8.0±0.1 and ammonia 0.002±0.0001 ml L-1.Fish were given daily ration of 2% body weight three times. Highest weight gain (WG) of the fish fed artemia (42.0+2.3 g) and floating feed (40.1±1.6 g) was achieved than those of the sinking one (32.3±1.5 g) and control group (20.2±1.7 g). Specific growth rate (%) remained considerably (P<0.05) higher in both treatment groups fed live feed (3.16%) and floating feed (3.099%) as compared to the fish fed sinking (2.79%) and control diet (2.19%). Feed conversion ratio (FCR) values of the fish fed artemia (1.4±0.2) and floating feed (1.3±0.03) were significantly different than sinking diet (2.0+0.03) and control group (1.8+0.02). The protein (16.6%-17.4%), moisture (12.6%-13.7%), lipids (7.9%-8.3%),and ash (2.3%-2.5%) contents of fish meat did not differ significantly (P>0.05) in all treatment groups. The concentration of sodium (75.8%-76.2%), potassium (128.7%-129.5%), magnesium (64.4%-64.7%), calcium (11.0%-11.5%), copper (0.1%-0.3%), zinc (1.4%-1.9%), manganese (0.1%), iron (1.4%-1.7%) remained consistent among all treatment groups. In conclusion, Chanos chanos showed significantly (P˂0.05) higher growth on both live (Artemia) as well as on floating feed. Since, floating feed over the live feed is cost effective and cheaper source of protein, thus, floating feed can be suggested for raising milkfish under the culture conditions of this experiment.