Abstract
Two feeding trials were performed on carp to investigate phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) excretion during their growth span. Trial I was conducted under laboratory conditions by feeding 3.9 g carp an experimental diet (crude protein 34.8%, total P 1.41% and available P 0.67%) for 280 days under controlled conditions. Trial II was performed with 72.8 g carp, feeding them a commercial diet (CP 35.8%, total P 1.62% and available P 0.75%) for 180 days on a practical scale. Fish grew throughout the experiment in trial I, whereas they stopped growing in trial II when the water temperature fell below 15°C. In both trials, P and N content in fish body increased with increasing weight until it plateaued when fish were between 500 and 600 g. The retention rates of the two elements also followed a similar pattern, but decreased beyond the size range mentioned above. In both trials, P and N loading increased with an increase in fish size, but such a pattern was less evident until a bodyweight of 600 g, the trend being more pronounced in trial II. The results of the present study indicate that excretion is higher during the slow-growing stage of carp and is, hence, influenced by fish size.
