INTERACTIVE EFFECT OF FISHMEAL REPLACEMENT AND SUPPLEMENTATION OF PHOSPHOLIPID ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE, FATTY ACID COMPOSITION AND HEALTH PARAMETERS OF MUD CRAB Scylla paramamosain

Md. Abdul Kader*, Norhidayah B. Mokhtar, Mahbuba Bulbul, Mohammad Suhail B. Salehhuddin, Md. Asaduzzaman, Abol Munafi B.A. Bolong and Mazlan B. Abd. Ghaffar
School of Fisheries and Aquaculture Sciences
Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Terengganu
Malaysia

A 2×2 factorial experiment was carried out to investigate the interactive effects of fishmeal (FM) levels and supplementation of dietary phospholipid (PL) on growth performance, feed utilization, carcass composition, fatty acid composition and health parameters of juvenile mud crab, Scylla paramamosain. Four isonitrogenous (50% crude protein) and isolipidic (14% lipid) diets were prepared by adding two levels of FM at 100 and 33% which was replaced with fish bone meal and two levels of dietary PL at 0 and 4%. The diets were designated as Diet 1 (FM100, PL0), Diet 2 (FM33, PL0), Diet 3 (FM100, PL4) and Diet 4 (FM33, PL4), respectively. Triplicate groups of ten juvenile mud crabs (0.22 g) were individually stocked in each of 2 l perforated plastic containers which were placed in 120 l rectangular PVC tanks. All the tanks were supplied with sea water and continuous aeration. The crabs were fed with respective test diets at 10 - 15% of their body weight twice daily for 60 days. Results indicated that FM had no significant (P>0.05) effect on growth performance, feed utilization and body composition of crab except for survival and protein efficiency ratio. Inclusion of PL significantly (P<0.05) improved the performance of crab. However, no interaction was found between FM and PL for any of the analyzed parameters. Final weight, weight gain and specific growth rate were significantly highest in crab fed Diet 4 where two third of FM was replaced with fish bone meal and supplemented with 4% PL. Similarly, feed intake and protein efficiency ratio were significantly highest and feed conversion ratio was lowest in this group. Whole body crude protein and lipid were also highest (P<0.05) in crab fed Diet 4. The whole body fatty acid composition and health parameters are presently under investigation and will be presented during the conference. The present study concluded that two third of the FM could be replaced with fish bone meal from mud crab diets. Supplementation of 4% PL could significantly improve the growth performance, feed utilization and whole body composition of mud crab.