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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Warmwater Aquaculture Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #215967
Title: Growth and Feed Efficiency of Juvenile Channel Catfish Reared at Different Water Temperatures and Fed Diets Containing Various Levels of Fish Meal

Author
item LI, M - MISS. STATE UNIVERSITY
item Peterson, Brian
item Bates, Terry
item ROBINSON, E - MISS. STATE UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: North American Journal of Aquaculture
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/15/2008
Publication Date: 8/15/2008
Citation: Li, M.H., Peterson, B.C., Bates, T.D., Robinson, E.H. 2008. Growth and Feed Efficiency of Juvenile Channel Catfish Reared at Different Water Temperatures and Fed Diets Containing Various Levels of Fish Meal. North American Journal of Aquaculture 70:347-352.

Interpretive Summary: Channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus do not feed well at low temperatures. It is thought that a diet containing fish meal may enhance feed palatability at low temperatures since fish meal is highly palatable to the fish. Therefore, a study was conducted to examine effects of fish meal levels on feed consumption, weight gain, and feed efficiency of channel catfish reared at various temperatures. Fish with an average initial weight of 9.6 g were stocked and maintained at approximately 17, 21, and 27ºC. The fish were fed with diets containing 0, 4, and 8% menhaden fish meal for 9 weeks. At 27ºC fish fed diets containing 4% and 8% fish meal gained significantly more weight than fish fed the all-plant-protein diet. However, no significant differences were observed in weight gain of fish fed diets containing three levels of fish meal at 17 and 21ºC. This suggests that the smell and taste responses of channel catfish to fish meal (up to 8% in the diet) may not be as sensitive at low temperatures as at optimum temperatures. Results also indicate that 4% fish meal in the diet is adequate for optimum growth and feed efficiency of channel catfish fingerlings raised at optimum temperatures.

Technical Abstract: Channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus do not feed well at low temperatures. It is thought that a diet containing fish meal may enhance feed palatability at low temperatures since fish meal is highly palatable to the fish. There is a lack of information on effects of fish meal levels on growth performance of channel catfish reared at low temperatures. Therefore, a study was conducted in a recirculating system to examine effects of fish meal levels on feed consumption, weight gain, and feed efficiency of juvenile channel catfish reared at various temperatures. Fish with an average initial weight of 9.6 g were stocked in each of 23-L clear polycarbonate tanks maintained at approximately 17, 21, and 27ºC respectively. The fish were fed with diets containing 0, 4, and 8% menhaden fish meal for 9 weeks. There was a significant interaction between water temperature and fish meal level for weight gain. At 27ºC fish fed diets containing 4% and 8% fish meal gained significantly more weight than fish fed the all-plant-protein diet. However, no significant differences were observed in weight gain of fish fed diets containing three levels of fish meal at 17 and 21ºC, respectively. This suggests that the olfactory and gustatory responses of channel catfish to fish meal (up to 8% in the diet) may not be as sensitive at low temperatures as at optimum temperatures. Results also indicate that 4% fish meal in the diet is adequate for optimum growth and feed efficiency of channel catfish fingerlings raised at optimum temperatures.