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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stuttgart, Arkansas » Harry K. Dupree Stuttgart National Aquaculture Research Cntr » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #179316
Title: GROWTH, BODY COMPOSITION, AND SURVIVAL OF CHANNEL CATFISH ICTALURUS PUNCTATUS FRY FED HATCHERY DIETS SUPPLEMENTED WITH KRILL MEAL

Author
item Weirich, Charles
item O'NEAL, CLIFFORD - SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIV
item BELHADJALI, KARIM - LOUISIANA DEPT NATURAL RE

Submitted to: Journal of Applied Aquaculture
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/4/2005
Publication Date: 9/1/2005
Citation: Weirich, C.R., O'Neal, C.C., Belhadjali, K. 2005. Growth, body composition, and survival of channel catfish ictalurus punctatus fry fed hatchery diets supplemented with krill meal. Journal of Applied Aquaculture. 17(3): 21-35.

Interpretive Summary: Limited research has been conducted to determine optimal hatchery diets for the production of channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus fry. Some producers supplement hatchery diets with high quality feedstuffs such as krill meal, however this practice had not been tested on an experimental basis until the present study. In two 10-d hatchery growth trials fry were fed a commercial catfish starter diet alone or supplemented with krill meal. At the end of each trial fry fed each diet were weighed, their body composition was analyzed, and they were counted to determine survival rates. Results from these feed trials indicate that there is no advantage in feeding channel catfish fry hatchery diets supplemented with krill meal and feeding such diets for periods longer than several days is likely to result in substantial inventory loss.

Technical Abstract: Two 10-d hatchery growth trials were conducted to determine the effects of catfish starter (CS) supplemented with krill meal (KM) on growth, survival, and body composition of channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus fry. No significant improvement regarding growth was observed for fry fed ground krill meal (KMG) or unground krill meal (KMUG) compared to CS in Trial 1, nor for fry fed KMG for 2, 4, or 8 d in Trial 2. Percent survival was significantly reduced when fry were fed KMG and KMUG-supplemented diets in Trial 1 and KMG for 8 d in Trial 2. In both trials, no significant differences in indices of fry body composition were evident except for fluoride content. Catfish fry reared using KM- supplemented diets had significantly higher whole body concentration of fluoride compared to fry fed CS diets. Results from these feed trials indicate that there is no advantage in feeding channel catfish fry hatchery diets supplemented with KM and feeding such diets for periods longer than several days is likely to result in substantial inventory loss.