Oxygen consumption (OC), ammonia nitrogen (AN ) excretion and body composition were measured to study the effects of energy/protein ratio (EPR) on the utilization of protein and energy in juvenile rockfish, Sebastes schiegeli. Juvenile rockfish were d...
Oxygen consumption (OC), ammonia nitrogen (AN ) excretion and body composition were measured to study the effects of energy/protein ratio (EPR) on the utilization of protein and energy in juvenile rockfish, Sebastes schiegeli. Juvenile rockfish were divided into three groups that they fed three isocaloric diets (3,5kcal/g) containing 30 (I), 40 (II) or $50\%$ crude protein (III). EPR of the three experimental diets were 11.5 (I), 8.7 (II) and 7.0kcal/g III), respectively. Juvenile rockfish (wet wt. 2.9-3.1g) were cultured in 501 aquaria with the constant environmental condition of $20-24^{\circ}C$ water temperature and $34\%o$ salinity. For 24 hr after feeding the diets, juvenile rockfish fed diet III had a higher OC than did the fish from groups fed diets I and II, and average OC of the fish fed diets I, II and III were $0,93\pm0.02^a,\;0.92\pm0.02^a\;and\;1.03\pm0.03^bml\;O_2/g/h$, respectively. AN responses of juvenile rockfish to increasing levels of dietary protein (decreasing dietary EPR) were significantly different among three groups in which dietary protein at elevated levels increased the excretion of AN for 24 hr after feeding the diets. Average AN excretion of the fish fed diets I, II and III were $9.14\pm0.39^a,\;12.41\pm 0.53^a\;and\;14.89\pm0.55^c\;{\mu}g\;N/g/h$ respectively. The body protein content of the fish fed diet II for 59 days was significantly higher than that of the fish fed the other diets. But, there were no significant differences between three groups in body lipid, carbohydrate and ash contents. These results indicate that EPR of 9.7kcal/g (diet II) could be a optimum EPR in juvenile rockfish diet.