Schizochytrium SP. MICROALGAE IN DIET FOR Leporinus friderici (CHARACIFORMES)

Marcelo M. Pedreira, Aline D. Prates, Marianne Schorer, José C. E. dos Santos, Guilherme S. Moura, Sandra R. F. Pinheiro and Robson C. Silva.

Laboratory of Aquaculture and Aquatic Ecology
Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri - UFVJM, Diamantina-MG - Brazil
CEP 39100-000
marcelomattospedreira@gmail.com

The food intake enriched with polyunsaturated fatty acids, omega-3 series, has been widespread in the recent decades. The increase of the EPA and DHA levels can be obtained by enriching the animals feed raised in captivity by manipulating the fatty acids composition of dietary. In fish the diet manipulation in favor of better nutritional indices has been tested. The "piau" (Leporinus friderici) is a Brazilian freshwater native species, and commercially appreciated by both, meat flavor and as sport fishing. DHA is an important omega 3 acid, essential for the formation of the nervous and visual tissue in humans, and also gives a good formation of brain matter, and it is present in large amounts in seaweed. This study aimed to evaluate diets with the inclusion of algae Schizochytrium sp. on productive performance and chemical composition of L. friderici juveniles. The experiment was conducted in the Aquaculture Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology Department of Animal Science of UFVJM in Diamantina - MG. Three hundred piau juvenile with mean weight and total length of 11.80 ± 1.08g and 9.68 ± 0.31 cm respectively, were subjected. Fishes passed for seven days of adaptation and were fed with the control feed treatment. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with five treatments (0, 10, 20, 30, and 40 g of Schizochytrium sp. kg^-1), and four replications. Seven juveniles were stocked through aquariums, totaling 20 experimental units. At the 60th day the performance parameters such as weight gain (g), final biomass (g), feed intake (g), feed conversion, TCE (% day^-1), survival (%) and Fulton´s condition factor (K), and also were evaluated chemical composition parameters of carcass. Linear effect was observed (p<0.05) for the following parameters: weight gain, survival, and final biomass, and for feed conversion the effect was quadratic (p<0.05) for 30 g kg^-1 Schizochytrium sp. included in diet. No differences (p>0.05) for dry matter, ash, ethereal extract in the chemical analysis of the carcass, except for crude protein, calcium and phosphorus that have a linear effect (p<0.05). It is concluded that the inclusion of 40 g of Schizochytrium sp. kg^-1 in the diet improves the L. friderici juvenile performance.

Acknowledgements: Capes, CNPq, FAPEMIG and BNB.