Insulin-like growth factor II, a marker gene for determining the optimum dietary protein level in clownfish Amphiprion ocellaris

In vivo study was conducted to determine the role of insulin-like growth factors (IGF-II) related to dietary protein utilization. For this early juvenile stage of marine false clownfish Amphiprion ocellaris , 300 numbers of 20-day-old larvae (initial body weight of 18.2±0.027 mg/fish) were used as an experimental animal. Animals were fed for 12 weeks with different dietary protein levels (35, 40, 45, 50, and 55%), using Spirulina maxima as a major protein source. Proximate compositions and amino acid profile of the formulated diet were analyzed by the standard methods. Eventually, significant ( P