Biochemical profiles of hybrid grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus x E. lanceolatus) larvae fed with enriched live feeds and commercial diets

The reliance on live feed for early larval rearing in fish has increased the production cost. Furthermore, live prey feeding without enrichment have been reported to be lacking nutritional value and insufficient for larval growth. This study aimed to determine biochemical profiles of hybrid grouper larvae after being fed with enriched live feeds and micropellets. Hybrid grouper larvae were divided into three groups of 45 days different feeding treatments: diet A (fed with unenriched live feeds - OTO), diet B (fed with enriched live feeds - NTR) and diet C (fed with enriched live feed - ORG). The results showed that protein and lipid deposition in soft tissue of fish was not different among feeding treatments (ranged from 519 to 600 mg g dry weight-1 for protein content and from 222 to 245 mg g dry weight-1 for lipid content). Fish fed with enriched live feed in diet B and diet C showed a higher proportion content of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) than fish fed with unenriched live feed in diet A. The finding of this study suggests that live feed enrichments and different micropellet diets did not alter protein and lipid deposition. Live feed enrichment increased the proportion content of MUFA and PUFA in fish.