Performance of Penaeusindicus, Cultured Under Three Salinities with Diet Containing Varying Energy Levels and Kilka, Clupeonella Delicatula, Oil Supplementation in the North of Persian Gulf, I.R. Iran

Abstract

The effects of varying energy and kilka oil levels on the performances of Indian prawn Penaeus indicus were evaluated in a 35 day experimental period in three water salinities (25, 35 and 45 ppt). For each salinity, four experimental diets with energy levels of 3500, 3800,4 1 00 and 4400kcallkg, each containing three kilka (C/upeonel/a de/icatu/a) oil levels of 2, 4, 6% (totaling 1 2 experimental diets) were fonnulated using Lindo softwear program. All diets were isonitrogenous (40% protein) and fed at 8 percent of body weight to 3 6 groups of 200 juvenile shrimps (P. indicus) in each level of salinity. The results showed that under 25 ppt salinity, the diet containing 4 100 kcaV kg with 4% kilka oil showed the best results. For 35 ppt, 3800 kcaV kg with kilka oil level of 6 % was the suitable energy level. At 45 ppt, the best result was observed for the shrimp fed with 3500 kcall kg at 6% kilka oil level. It thus appeared that energy requirement vary with salinity. It also revealed that the energy to protein ratio of 1 1 0-1 1 8 kcaU g proteins was the most suitable ratio for the growth of the shrimp under different salinities. The incorporation of kilka oil in the diet as a source of energy and essential fatty acids showed a satisfactory growth performance of the prawn. The n-3 fatty acid of shrimp body tissue increased with the increasing the dietary n-3 fatty acid levels.