To investigate dietary ascorbic acid (AA) requirement of juvenile ayu (Plecoglossus altivelis) weighing 1.27 ± 0.02 g, eight diets were formulated with graded levels (0, 20, 40, 80, 160, 320, 640 and 1280 mg AA kg )1 ) of AA supplied as ascorbyl polyphosphate. Each experimental diet was fed to four-replicate groups to apparent satiation three times a day for 8 weeks. At the end of the feeding trial, fish fed AAdeficient diet showed visible AA deficiency signs and low survival. Based on the four-parameter saturation kinetics model, the calculated AA requirement levels for each dosedependent response [weight gain, hepatic AA concentration, hydroxyproline (HyPro) concentration in skin and HyPro concentration in backbone] were 116, 226, 47 and 35 mg kg )1 , respectively. Based on the maximal growth performance, a level of 116 mg AA kg )1 was recommended for commercial diet of juvenile ayu. To maintain tissue HyPro saturation and avoid AA deficiency symptoms, the minimum required dietary AA level was 47 mg kg )1 . Hepatic AA saturation was considered as the most stringent criterion for determination of AA requirement.
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