ARS | Publication request: Evaluation of Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus performance fed fishmeal free diets and two commercial diets in a recirculating system

Submitted to: Aquaculture America Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: November 10, 2011
Publication Date: February 29, 2012
Citation: Burr, G.S., Barrows, F., Wolters, W.R. 2012. Evaluation of Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus performance fed fishmeal free diets and two commercial diets in a recirculating system [abstract]. Aquaculture America Conference. p. 534.

Technical Abstract: Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) is a highly desirable species to culture due to their fast growth and reputation as a sustainably produced fish due to closed containment culture. A study was conducted to evaluate Arctic charr performance on a fishmeal free diet at two different lipid levels. One hundred ninety-two Arctic charr (initial weight 725 +/- 5.3 g) were stocked into twelve 1-m3 tanks. The tanks were part of a recirculating system, containing a fluidized sand filter, a CO2 stripper and a low head oxygenator. Brackish water (20g/L) was supplied to the tanks at 11 lpm with oxygen and temperature maintained at 13 deg C. Fish in each tank were fed one of four diets; a commercial diet containing 44% protein and 29% lipid (comm. 1), a commercial diet containing 44% protein and 19% lipid (comm. 2), an experimental fish meal free diet containing either 42% protein and 25% lipid (charr 1) and lastly an experimental diet with 36% protein and 25% lipid (charr 2). Automated feeders were used to provide approximately 1% of the fish’s body weight/day. After 12 weeks, fish feed the commercial diet containing 44% protein and 29% lipid has significantly higher weight gain compared to fish fed the other diets (p = 0.02). Feed conversions ratios did not significantly vary among the fish feed the different diets (p = 0.07). However, after sixteen weeks, Arctic charr fed the commercial diet containing 44% protein and 29% lipid did not have significantly high weight gain compared to fish fed the other diets (p = 0.06). Feed conversion ratios were also lower for the charr fed the commercial diet containing 44% protein and 29% lipid, but again not significantly (p= 0.08). The hepatosomatic index (HSI) did not vary among treatments (p = 0.47). Moisture and lipid levels were significantly lower for salmon fed the commercial low lipid diet compared to fish fed the commercial high lipid diet. Arctic charr fed the experimental fishmeal free diets had similar performance compared to commercial diets.