Indirect effect of different dietary protein to energy ratio of bait fish mori diets on growth performance, body composition, nitrogen metabolism and relative AMPK & mTOR pathway gene expression of Chinese perch

• Main Authors: Muhammad Shoaib Alam, Xu-Fang Liang, Liwei Liu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2020-03-01
• Series: Aquaculture Reports
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352513419302078

Chinese perch (Siniperca chuatsi) is an important economic freshwater carnivorous fish. Commonly feeds on other live fish or bait fish, and accept an artificial diet only after standard training. The feeding habit of Chinese perch caused high aquaculture costs and consumer prices. However, only a few studies are conducted on Chinese perch live feed (bait fish) or live feed (mori) feeds. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the effect of live feed (mori) and live feed (mori) feeds protein to energy ratio on Chinese perch. Three Iso-energetic diets (16 kJ/g) with graded levels of P/E ratios (19.79, 22.19 and 24.46 mg protein/kJ) each with a protein level of 28.18 %, 31.36 %, and 33.91 % (named A, B, and C) were formulated. Two separate experimental tanks systems were used. In one tanks system, a total of 90 kg live bait fish C. mrigala were distributed into three groups (triplicate tanks (1000 L) for each group) and fed with respective P/E ratio diets. In another tanks system, a total of 270 Chinese perch (30 fish/tank) were divided into three groups (triplicate tanks for each group), distributed into 9 (1000-L) fiberglass tanks and fed with assigned live bait fish at 4 % fish wet body weight, twice a day for 8 weeks. The results showed that P/E ratio in bait fish diets significantly affected bait fish and Chinese perch growth performance, feed utilization, body composition, nitrogen metabolism, protein synthesis, and energy homeostasis. Bait fish in Group A showed significantly lower weight gain (WG), specific growth rate (SGR), and higher Viscerosomatic index (VSI) and Hepatosomatic index (HSI) as compared to other groups. Correspondingly, bait fish in Group A showed significantly low whole-body crude protein and high lipid contents as compared to other groups. Similarly, Chinese perch in Group A, showed significantly lower WG, SGR, protein efficiency ratio (PER) and highest feed intake (FI), feed conversion ratio (FCR), VSI, HSI, and Intraperitoneal fat (IPF), as compared to other groups. Furthermore, Chinese perch in Group A, showed significantly lower whole body and muscle crude protein, and higher lipid contents as compared to other groups. Similarly, the nitrogen metabolism enzyme activities (ALT, AST, GDH, AMPD) and gene expression of GDH and AMPD in Group A of Chinese perch, were significantly lower than other groups. Moreover, the AMPK and mTOR pathways gene expression showed a low energy status and protein catabolism in Group A of Chinese perch as compared to other groups. From our results, we conclude that the P/E ratio in bait fish diet significantly affected bait fish and Chinese perch growth performance and nutrients metabolism. Keywords: Chinese perch, Bait fish, Protein/energy ratio, Enzyme activity, Gene expression, AMPK, mTOR