Effect of dietary fatty acid composition on the growth of the tiger puffer Takifugu rubripes

Abstract

Effects of dietary fatty acid composition on the growth of the tiger puffer Takifugu rubripes were examined. Eight experimental diets were formulated with fish meal and casein as the major ingredients, providing 45.0–48.2%
crude protein. Pollack and squid liver oils were used for the control diet while experimental diets contained three levels
of EPA-DHA concentrated (C-HUFA) oils, soybean oil, linseed oil, and combinations of them, providing 0.5–5.5% n-3 HUFA and
5.0–11.1% crude lipid. Triplicate groups of fish with a mean body weight of 18.7g per dietary treatment were fed the diets
twice daily to apparent satiation, 6days per week for 8weeks. The final body weight and weight gain of the fish fed the
soybean oil diet without C-HUFA oils were significantly lower than those fed the control diet. Both parameters were not statistically
different among the other dietary groups, although the values obtained for the linseed oil diet without C-HUFA oils were lower.
Similar trends were seen for SGR and feed efficiency. However, significantly lower PER values compared to the control were
observed for the lower C-HUFA and the vegetable oil without C-HUFA oil groups. These results indicate that tiger puffer can
be produced successfully with diets containing more than 1.5% n-3 HUFA.

KeywordsTiger puffer–Dietary fatty acid–HUFA–Growth–Body composition