Effect of replacement of fishmeal by soybean products with attractants supplementation on the growth performance, feed utilization, body composition, plasma physiological responses and hepatic antioxidant abilities of juvenile golden pompano Trachinotus ovatus

A feeding experiment was carried out to develop a practical diet with low fishmeal for juvenile golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus) by substituting fishmeal protein with soybean products mixture. Six isocaloric (17.6 KJ g−1) diets were designed by replacing 0 (FM100), 5 (FM95), 10 (FM90), 15 (FM85), 20 (FM80), and 25% (FM75) of the fishmeal with soybean products mixture (SPM) (soybean meal and soybean protein concentrate). The experiment diets were supplemented with 1.5%, 3%, 4.5%, 6% and 7.5% squid paste as attractants or palatability enhancer. The experimental fish (6.9 g) were cultured in sea cages (1.0 m × 1.0 m × 1.5 m) with 25 fish in each cage. Fish were fed the corresponding experimental diets to satiation twice daily for 8 weeks. At the end of the feeding experiment, no differences were found in the final weight and weight gain (WG) of fish fed FM100, FM85, FM80, and FM75 diets (P > 0.05). The WG was significantly (P < 0.05) better in the fish-fed FM95 diet compared to FM100 and FM75 diets. FCR in diet FM95 and FM90 was significantly (P < 0.05) than that of FM80 and FM75, but these values were not significantly different from those in other treatments. Although the condition factor value in diets FM90, FM85, and FM80 was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that of FM100, these values were not significantly different from the rest of the other groups. There was no statistical difference in SGR, FR, VSI, and survival rates among different dietary treatments. The plasma AST activity was significantly lower in fish fed FM90 diet compared to fish fed with control, FM85, FM80, and FM75 (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in plasma AST among all dietary treatments except FM95 and FM90. In contrast, the plasma AKP activity showed the opposite trend. Compared with the control, the fish-fed FM80 and FM75 diets had significantly decreased plasma cholesterol, triglyceride total protein, albumin, and globulin level (P < 0.05) while significantly increasing plasma COR levels (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in ALT, Urea and glucose values among all treatments. No statistical difference was observed among the FM100, FM80, and FM75 treatments for those of plasma LYZ activity, C3, and C4 levels. The hepatic T-AOC and SOD activities were significantly increased in fish fed the FM90 diet (P < 0.05) compared to those in fish fed with FM100 diet. According to the current experiment, it can be concluded that SPM supplemented with SP could partially substitute fishmeal (25%) for juvenile golden pompano without any adverse symptoms

The various substrates of Usnea aurantiaco-atra and its algal sources in the Fildes Peninsula, Antarctica

The lichen species Usnea aurantiaco-atra (Jacq.) Bory is the most dominant vegetation on the Fildes Peninsula, Antarctica. Most individuals grow on rocks, and some are found with mosses. During the 27th and 28th Chinese National Antarctic Research expeditions of the Great Wall Station, U. aurantiaco-atra was observed growing on the lichen thallus of Umbilicaria antarctica Frey & I.M. Lamb, or on wood, which indicated that Usnea aurantiaco-atra could grow on various substrates. The diversities of the symbionts in U. aurantiaco-atra collected in the Fildes Peninsula were investigated using ITS rDNA sequences. The results showed that the sequences from mycobionts of U. aurantiaco-atra growing on various substrates did not exhibit significant differences. All photobionts in this lichen species were the green algae Trebouxia jamesii (Hildreth & Ahmadjian) Gärtner. The identical sequences from the photobionts of both Umbilicaria antarctica and Usnea aurantiaco-atra indicated there was an algae pool in this area and different mycobionts could obtain their algal partners from this pool. The variety of substrates for U. aurantiaco-atra suggested its photobiont could be obtained from a mature lichen thallus by vegetative propagation; from other lichen thalli (e.g. Umbilicaria antarctica); or from the surroundings. This study will promote understanding of the distribution of photobionts and the process of lichenization

Effect of Dietary Marine Red Yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa on the Growth Performance, and also Non-Specific Immune Responses of Juvenile Golden Pompano Trachinotus Ovatus when Challenged with Vibrio Harveyi

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary marine red yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa supplementation on the growth performance, non-specific immune responses, and resistance to the pathogen Vibrio harveyi in Golden Pompano Trachinotus ovatus. A basal diet was supplemented with R. mucilaginosa at 0‰ (control), 1‰, 2‰, 3‰, 4‰, and 5‰ for 8 weeks. After the 8-week feeding trial, weight gain (WG) and specific growth rate (SGR) were significantly affected by the R. mucilaginosa levels, with the highest WG and SGR occurring at the 1‰ R. mucilaginosa level (P<0.05). Compared to the control, the 4 and 5‰ R. mucilaginosa groups had significantly increased lysozyme (LYZ) and alkaline phosphatase (AKP) activity, but a decrease in nitric oxide synthase (NOS) was noted (P<0.05). Compared to the control, the 2, 3 and 4‰ R. mucilaginosa groups had significantly increased hepatic superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity (P<0.05), while hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) content decreased significantly (P<0.05). After challenge with V. harveyi, the group supplemented with 1‰ R. mucilaginosa had 100% survival rate. In addition, compared to the control group prior to challenge, the serum C3 level significantly increased in the group supplemented with 2‰ R. Mucilaginosa (P < 0.05). Compared to the control 12 h and 48h after challenge, serum C4 levels in the 4‰ R. Mucilaginosa group increased significantly (P<0.05). Our results suggest that ingestion of a basal diet supplemented with 1-3‰ R. mucilaginosa in T. ovatus could enhance resistance against the pathogen Vibrio harveyi

Dietary Methionine Requirements of Pacific White Shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei, of Three Different Sizes

Three feeding trials were conducted to determine the dietary methionine requirements for Litopenaeus vannamei of three different sizes, small (0.55±0.01g), medium (4.18±0.05g), and large (9.77±0.08g). Seven diets were formulated with seven different levels of methionine (0, 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3%, 0.4%, 0.5%, or 0.6%). The greatest weight gain (WG) and specific growth rate (SGR) of small and large shrimp were observed when dietary methionine levels were 0.8%, and 0.71%, respectively (P<0.05). The highest survival rate of small and large shrimp was observed when dietary methionine levels were 0.97%, and 1.07%, respectively (P<0.05). For small and medium shrimp, the optimal dietary methionine level for maximum weight gain estimated by quadratic regression analysis was 0.91% and 0.67% of dry diet, respectively. For large shrimp, the optimal dietary methionine requirement estimated by broken-line model based on weight gain was 0.66% of dry diet

Fasted and postprandial response of serum physiological response, hepatic antioxidant abilities and HSP70 expression in Wuchang bream (Megalobrama amblycephala) fed different dietary carbohydrate levels

The effect of dietary carbohydrate (CHO) level on serum physiological response, hepatic antioxidant abilities and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) expression of Wuchang bream (Megalobrama amblycephala) was studied. Two isonitrogenous (28.56% crude protein) and isolipidic (5.28% crude lipid) diets were formulated to contain 30% or 53% wheat starch. Diets were fed for 90 days to fish in triplicate tanks (28 fish per tank). At the end of feeding trial, significantly higher serum triglyceride level, insulin level, cortisol level, and malondialdehyde (MDA) content were observed in fish fed the 53% CHO diet, while significantly lower serum total protein content, alkaline phosphatase activity, superoxide dismutase activity and total antioxidative capacity were found in fish fed the 53% CHO diet compared with those fed the 30% diet. The relative level of hepatic heat shock protein 70 mRNA was significantly higher in the 53% CHO group than that in the 30% CHO at 6, 12 and 48 h after feeding. Ingestion of 53% dietary CHO impacts the nonspecific immune ability and causes metabolic stress in Megalobrama amblycephala

Effect of Dietary Supplementation on the Growth and Immunity of Fish and Shellfish

With the rapid development of aquaculture, the shortage of high-quality dietary ingredients has become a critical problem limiting the sustainable development of aquaculture [...

Photosynthetic performance in Antarctic lichens with different growth forms reflect the diversity of lichenized algal adaptation to microhabitats

Lichens, as typical obligate associations between lichenized fungi and their photosynthetic partners, are dominant in Antarctica. Three Antarctic lichens, Ochrolechia frigida, Umbilicaria antarctica, and Usnea aurantiacoatra with different growth forms, were sampled nearby the Great Wall Station, King George Island. Molecular data revealed that the photosynthetic algae in these three lichens were Trebouxia jamesii. The net photo− synthesis (Pn) of three individuals from these species, together with environmental factors such as light and temperature, were recorded by CO2 gas exchange measurements using a CI−340 portable photosynthetic system in situ. Differences between T(leaf) (the temperature of the thalli) and T(air) (the air temperature) for these lichens were not consistent, which reflected that environment and the growth form of thalli could affect T(leaf) significantly. Strong irradiation was expected to have adverse effects on Pn of Ochrolechia frigida and Umbilicaria antarctica whose thalli spread flat; but this photoinhibition had little effect on Usnea aurantiacoatra with exuberant tufted thallus. These results indicated that photosynthetic activity in lichens was affected by the growth forms of thalli besides microhabitat factors. One species of lichenized alga could exhibit diversified types of photosynthetic behavior when it was associated with various lichenized fungi in different microhabitats. It will be helpful for understanding how lichens are able to adapt to and colonize in extreme environments