Plant protein-based diets can replace a fish meal-based diet for sustainable growth and body composition of zebrafish

Abstract

10This 3 x 2 factorial study involving three diets at two stocking densities tested the effect of 11 replacing fish meal (FM) with either soybean meal (SBM) or rapeseed meal (RSM) in diets on 12 growth and body composition of zebrafish (Danio rerio). Fish were fed three times daily for 13 eight weeks. Morphometric and water quality parameters were also determined. The survival 14 rate of the fish ranged from 95.2 -97.8%. The water quality remained within the acceptable 15 limits for tropical aquaculture. The stocking density did not show any significant difference 16 (p>0.05) for the length and weight of the fish. The length, weight and condition factors were 17 significantly higher (p<0.05) in the fish fed FM based diet. The fish length and weight related 18 well (R 2 ) across the diets but this was more significant for RSM than those fed the other two 19 diets. The weight gain (WG), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and protein intake (PI) were 20 significantly higher (p<0.05) in the fish fed the FM based diet than the other diets. No 21 significant differences observed (p>0.05) in the specific growth rate (SGR), food intake (FI) 22 and protein efficiency ratio (PER) among the fish fed the three diets. The crude protein CP, 23 nitrogen-free extract (NFE) and ash contents of these fish did not differ significantly (p>0.05). 24However, the ether extract (EE) of the fish fed SBM diet was significantly lower (p<0.05 than 25 the other two diets. It appears that both SBM and RSM as sustainable source to partially FM 26 in the diets of zebrafish and similar fish species. 27 28 Introduction. 30 Fisheries and aquaculture are the essential sources of food, nutrition, income and 31 livelihood for people around the world. The efforts to promote aquaculture has been recently 32 accelerated towards achieving the goal of food security. One of the recent efforts is to source 33 sustainable plant proteins as an alternative to highly competitive and expensive fish meal and 34 fish oil [ 1 ] for determining their nutritional suitability in fish diets [ 2 ]. The sustainable use of 35 our aquatic resources can only be achieved through concerted efforts in using technology and 36 human resources more effectively by enhancing our understanding about the changing nature 37 of the aquaculture industry. The growth of world aquaculture has been stimulated by several 38 factors, including population increases, dietary shifts and advances in aquaculture technology. 39Diet formulation involve the selection and mixing of feed ingredients to form products that 40 delivers the much-needed nutrients to meet the production goals in fish farming. This practice 41 can also reduce feeding time and feed waste while improving water quality and environmental 42 safety of fish production. 43 Commercial feeds are expensive as most of the ingredients are imported and thus prices 44 are increasing continually. So, finding alternatives to fish meal is needed to reduce cost and 45 reliance on this valuable and finite source of protein. According to Hardy [3], ...

Length-weight relationship and condition factor of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fed diets supplemented with guava and star gooseberry leaf extract

“…27 Importantly, Nile tilapia fed diets supplemented with GLE-5, GLE-10, SGLE-5, SGLE-10, MxLE-5, and MxLE-10 groups exhibited positive allometric growth pattern compared to the control. Similarly, silver barb (B. gonionotus) and zebrafish (Danio rerio) fed with dietary blanched moringa leaf meal 43 and plant-protein based diets 47 found positive allometric growth. On the contrary, gold fish (Carassius auratus) fed with different concentrations of carrot 48 and gurami sago (Osphronemus goramy) stocked in concrete ponds, floating net cages, and earthen freshwater ponds, 49 found negative allometric growth.…”