Influence of Salinity on Protein Requirements of Rainbow Trout (Salmo gairdneri) Fingerlings

Abstract

Rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) juveniles maintained at 10 and 20 ppt salinity were fed seven diet treatments from 30 to 60% protein in 5% increments for 10 weeks. The fish were stocked in cones, initially 50 fish per cone. Biweekly weights of diets and fish were determined and mortality was recorded daily. Percentage weight gain, gross diet efficiency, and protein efficiency ratio (P.E.R.) were computed. The minimum protein levels required for fish to achieve highest performance using these criteria were 40 and 45% for those maintained at 10 and 20 ppt, respectively. Mortality was significantly (P < 0.05) higher for fish maintained at the higher salinity. Analyses of the fish carcasses were conducted at the beginning and end of the experiment on representative samples to estimate the grams protein retained and apparent net protein utilization (N.P.U.) to verify the above findings. All the available data showed that dietary protein was of major consequence on all measurements until the minimum required level of protein in the diet was reached, while salinity was of minor consequence. P.E.R. and apparent N.P.U. were 2.10 and 34.4, respectively, for casein diets at the 40% protein level.