Optimal Dietary Protein Requirement for Juvenile Sesarmid Crab (Episesarma singaporense)

Abstract

The optimal dietary protein requirement for sesarmid crabs (Episesarma singaporense) was investigated. Juvenile E. singaporense, individually reared in plastic glasses containing 250 mL sea water, were fed five fish meal-soybean meal-microbound diets variously containing dietary protein levels of 30%, 35%, 40%, 45% and 50% for six weeks. A completely randomized design was used in the experiment, comprising five treatments with 60 crabs in each. At the end of the experiment, a significant improvement in survival was observed in all treatments relative to the diet containing 30% dietary protein (p < 0.05) while the growth performance parameters did not differ across the five dietary groups. A significantly higher protein efficiency ratio was observed in the E. singaporense crabs receiving 45% dietary protein relative to the remaining treatments. The specific activities of the digestive enzymes, pepsin-like, trypsin, amylase, and lipase, and the amylase to trypsin ratio fluctuated across the five treatments, but that of chymotrypsin remained consistent, suggesting different nutritional responses to the various dietary protein levels. The crabs receiving the 45% protein diet had significantly higher in essential amino acid (EAA) profiles followed by the 40% protein diet, although some EAA values were only moderate. The pattern for the non-EAA (NEAA) was reversed, and the ΣEAA/ΣNEAA ratio was higher in the crabs receiving the 45% protein diets relative to the other treatments. Based on our investigations, the optimal dietary protein requirement achieving desirable characteristics of juvenile E. singaporense crabs was 45%. This finding would be a useful guideline in preparing artificial diets for the mariculture of this species.

Effect of Dietary Protein to Energy Ratios on Growth, Digestive Enzyme Activity and Body Composition of Captive Juvenile Spiny Lobsters, Panulirus Ornatus (Fabricius, 1798)

“…In this study, the protease and lipase activities as part of digestive enzymes in juvenile lobsters were affected by the dietary P/E ratio and significantly influenced by the levels of dietary protein and dietary lipids. These findings confirm other studies on crustacean species (Cui et al, 2017;Méndez-Martínez et al, 2018;Sudtongkong et al, 2020). Digestive enzyme activities play some important roles in the process of food digestion and significantly impact moulting and growth (Méndez-Martínez et al, 2018;Rodriguez-Viera et al, 2016;Rodríguez-Viera et al, 2017).…”

An investigation on the effects of dietary protein level in juvenile Chinese mitten crab ( Eriocheir sinensis ) reared at three salinities: survival, growth performance, digestive enzyme activities, antioxidant capacity and body composition

“…(Unnikrishnan & Paulraj, 2010), swimming crab (Portunus trituberculatus) (Huo et al, 2014;Jin et al, 2013) and sesarmid crab (Episesarma singaporense) (Sudtongkong et al, 2020). Although the underlying mechanism was still not clear, it could be explained from the perspective of amino acid metabolism.…”

Enhanced high β-carotene yeast cell production by Rhodotorula paludigena CM33 and in vitro digestibility in aquatic animals

“…Proteins constitute significant dietary needed for animal growth, and are the dominant organic material in animal tissue 55 . In contrast to carbohydrates (nitrogen-free extract), proteins constitute a major cost for aquafeed development due to it’s the costliest ingredient of dietary preparation 56 . In the present study, cultivating R. paludigena CM33 with sucrose feed demonstrated a negligible alteration in crude protein content (42.47%) compared to the glucose feed (42.96%), highlighting its suitability as a feed supplement for animals.…”