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¹ Mariculture and Fisheries Department, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, 22017 Salmiya, Kuwait
² Wakayama University, Sakaedani 930, Wakayama-shi, 640-8510 Japan
³ Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Sci. & Tech. Uni., Dinajpur-5200, Bangladesh
⁴ Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute, Mymensingh-2201, Bangladesh DOI : 10.4194/1303-2712-v12_1_04 Viewed : 4404 - Downloaded : 6572 The optimum dietary protein requirement of a Thai strain of climbing perch (Anabas testudineus, Bloch, 1792) fry was investigated by feeding six semi-purified diets containing varying levels of dietary protein within a range of 25-50% over an 8 week feeding period. Fish meal was used as protein source. The experiment was conducted in a recirculatory system consisting 18 glass aquaria of each 65 litre capacity. Each treatment had three replicates. Each of the aquaria was stocked with 12 fingerlings of A. testudineus with a mean initial weight of 1.04±0.02 g. Fish were fed to apparent satiation three times daily. Statistical analysis of growth data showed that percent weight gain, feed conversion ratio (FCR), protein efficiency ratio (PER) and body composition were significantly (P<0.05) affected by dietary protein levels. The weight gain and specific growth rate (SGR) of fish in all dietary groups increased proportionally with the increase in dietary protein concentration to level of 40% and thereafter decreased with further increase in dietary protein levels. Fish fed diet 4 containing 40% protein level showed significantly (P<0.05) the highest weight gain. The FCR values ranged between 1.95 and 5.73 and the best FCR value was obtained with diet 4. The PER decreased with increasing dietary protein levels. The PER values ranged between 0.64 and 1.27 and the apparent net protein utilization (ANPU%) values ranged between 9.76 and 19.80%. In general, there was a progressive decrease in carcass protein and an increase in carcass lipid. On the basis of observed weight gain, SGR and FCR, a diet containing 40% protein with a protein to energy (PE) ratio of 92.63 (mg protein/Kcal gross energy) is recommended for maximum growth of A. testudineus under experimental condition used in this study. Keywords : Climbing perch, semi-purified diets, protein requirement, growth