Effect of feeding systems on performance of caged gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) under Egyptian conditions. [electronic resource].

Includes references.

The present study is an attempt on the way of pisciculture intensification of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) to evaluate the utilization of two different wet (sea) feeds and a dry aquafeed with caged juvenile S. aurata. The study was carried out during 1999 under on-farm ambient conditions in the Governmental Fish Farm at Damietta (Al-Mousallas). Each cage was stocked by 30 fingerlings. Three groups, each of three cages (replicates) were allotted to receive gradually the experimental diets. which consisted of pelleted diet ( 1 ). trash fish (2) or small shrimp (3 ). All diets were daily offered at a fixed feeding rate of 6% of the wet body weight of fish over a 6 days working week for twelve weeks. The water quality criteria measured in the experimental area were suitable and within the recommended ranges of seabream aquaculture. Diet No. 3 contained higher protein percentage; yet, diet No. 1 was better than the other tested diets in essential amino acids index, egg protein ratio and biological value. Therefore, diet No. l reflected superior (P? 0.05) final body weight, condition factor, daily weight gain, specific growth rate, feed consumption and feed conversion efficiency compared with both wet diets (No. 2 and 3 ). Fish body composition at the end of the experimental period revealed that diet No. 1 gave significantly higher fat and lower crude protein percentages than the other diets. Fish group fed on pelleted diet (1) reflected significantly better nutrient utilization than that fed on diet 2 or diet 3. Diet 1 was more expensive than the live foods (2 and 3 ). thus the cost of one Kg fresh fish produced by feeding on diet 1 was more than five times compared with diets (2 and 3 ).

Summary in Arabic.

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