Dietary energy requirement of Pangasianodon hypophthalmus (Sauvage, 1878) juveniles reared at two temperatures.

Abstract

A 60-days feeding trial was conducted to study the dietary energy requirement of Pangasianodon hypophthalmus (Sauvage1878) juveniles reared either at ambient (24.5°C) or higher temperature (32°C) and fed with one of the four diets having dietary energy content of 342 Kcal. 100 g(T1), 379 Kcal. 100 g(T2), 428.5 Kcal. 100 g(T3) and 448.6 Kcal. 100 g (T4). Juveniles of P. hypophthalmus with amean weight 4.27±0.12 to 4.40±0.10 g was stocked in 24 uniform size plastic rectangular tanks in triplicates with 10 fish per tank following a 2x4 factorial design. Growth performance and nutrient utilization of P. hypophthalmus were higher at the dietary energy content of 428.5 Kcal. 100 g(T3) at both the temperatures. The body composition of P. hypophthalmus did not differ significantly (P>0.05) as the energy content of the diet increase. However, the tissue lipid content was significantly varied (P<0.05) at different temperature and energy levels. Based on the second order polynomial regression equation the dietary energy requirement of P. hypophthalmus was recorded to be 410 Kcal. 100 gand 402.5 Kcal. 100 g at 32°C and at ambient temperature(24.5°C), respectively.