The effects of dietary protein level on growth, feed efficiency and survival of juvenile Florida pompano ( Trachinotus carolinus)

Florida pompano is considered a suitable candidate for mariculture due to its ready adaptation to culture systems, acceptance of formulated feeds, and rapid growth rates. Little information on the nutritional requirements or growth rates under controlled conditions have been reported. A seven week feeding experiment was conducted with juvenile fish (mean wt. 4.5 g) to evaluate the effect of dietary protein level on growth, feed intake, feed utilization and survival. Four practical diets were formulated to be isoenergetic and to contain increasing levels of protein (30, 35, 40 or 45% crude protein). Although total feed intake was not significantly different among treatments, feed intake expressed as amount consumed per unit of body weight was significantly different among treatments. Fish fed the highest protein diet had lower percentage daily feed consumption values than did fish fed the lowest protein diet. Growth and feed efficiency ratios increased with dietary protein level and were highest for fish fed the diet containing 45% protein. The results obtained in the present study indicate that juvenile Florida pompano required a minimum of 45% protein for maximum growth and feed efficiency ratio when fish meal and soybean meal are the primary sources of protein.