Replacement of fishmeal by yellow mealworm meal on the growth performance, feed utilisation and quality of large yellow croaker

An 80-day feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor, TM) meal as substitute for dietary fishmeal on the growth performance, feed utilisation and flesh quality of large yellow croaker (initial body weight: 189.18±0.13 g). The control diet (TM0) was designed to contain 56% of fishmeal. Based on the TM0, graded levels of TM meal (15, 30, 45, 60, 75 and 100%, respectively) were used to replace fishmeal to formulate the other six experimental diets (TM15, TM30, TM45, TM60, TM75 and TM100), respectively. The results showed that the survival was not significantly affected by dietary TM meal levels (P>0.05). Compared with control group, the final body weight, weight gain rate and protein efficiency ratio decreased significantly when the replacement level over 30%, while feed conversion ratio increased significantly as replacement level over 45% (P