Abstract
Two feeding experiments were conducted to determine the suitable dietary protein and lipid levels for fingerlings of red sea bream by feeding them with various white fish meal-casein diets containing different levels of protein (CP: 37-52%) and lipid (CL: 5-20%).
In Experiment I, the growth rate and feed efficiency increased with increasing CP content in diet, both values reaching a maximum at the diet level of 52%. In Experiment II, the growth rate and feed efficiency were higher for diets containing 52% CP, compared to 42% CP groups, irrespective of the lipid levels. On the other hand, with an increase in the amount of dietary n-3HUFA, the values for growth rate, feed efficiency, and protein efficiency ratio increased, recording high in diets combining 52% CP with 15 and 20% lipids.
This result indicated that the growth of red sea bream fingerlings was influenced by not only di-etary protein and lipid levels but also n-3HUFA contents in diet. It is also suggested that the suitable CP and CL levels in diet for red sea bream fingerlings may be around 52% and 15%, respectively.
