Finfish nutrition in Asia: A review

Abstract

This review paper highlights counry reports presented at the Workshop on Asian Finfish Nutrition Sponsored by the International Development Research Center of Canada in 1983. Result of researches on the amino acid, lipid, mineral and vitamin requirements of some cultured finfishes in the larval, juvenile and broodstock stages are discussed.

Complete essential amino acid requirements have been determined for common carp; only three have been qualified for tilapia. Many researches were conducted to replace trash fish and fish meal as protein source in fish diet. For O. niloticus, soybean meal can replace 50% of the fish meal in the grow-out diet.

Essential fatty acids influence the dietary value of live food organisms for fish larvae. Rotifers cultured with yeast were low in W₃ highly unsaturated fatty acids while those grown in Chlorella were high in 20: 5W₃. Similarly, "lablab" showed higher W₃/W₆ ratio than "lumut".

On the other hand, chemical, and Artemia from two sources showed that mineral is not the principal factor in the dietary value of natural feeds.

Over-all, fundamental knowledge on the nutritional requirements of finfishes in the region is lacking.