The effects of using live foods during the transition to formulated diet on growth indices and amino acid composition of Beluga sturgeon (Huso huso) larvae

Yousefi, Soheil; Khoshkholgh, Majidreza; Pajand, Zabihollah; Monsef Shokri, Maryam; Allaf Noverian, Hamid

doi:10.22124/japb.2024.27604.1543

The effects of using live foods during the transition to formulated diet on growth indices and amino acid composition of Beluga sturgeon (Huso huso) larvae

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

¹ Fisheries Department, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Guilan, Sowmeh Sara, Iran

² International Sturgeon Research Institute, Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Rasht, Iran

³ International Sturgeon Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Rasht, Iran.

10.22124/japb.2024.27604.1543

Abstract

In the present study, the effects of adaptation to formulated diet using live food were evaluated on growth performance and amino acid profile of Beluga (Huso huso) larvae. The Beluga sturgeon larvae with an initial weight of 0.44 ± 0.01 g were distributed randomly into 12 fiberglass tanks. The adaptation process was carried out by live food organisms, including frozen chironomid larvae (CH), frozen artemia biomass (A), and a combination of chironomid and artemia (M) during 42 days. Also, fish in group D received the formulated diet throughout the trial. The live foods were decreased by 16.6% every six days and added to the formulated diet. At the end of trial, growth index, survival and amino acids profile of larvae were evaluated. The results of this study revealed that final weight and weight gain were significantly higher in D and CH groups than others (p < 0.05). The highest survival rates were observed in the groups CH and M equal to 98.33 and 95% respectively (p < 0.05). levels of leucine and methiotine as two essential amino acids were significantly higher in CH, in comparison to other treatments (p < 0.05). Furthermore, despite the insignificant differences, the highest threonine content among treatments fed by live foods and the lowest composition of total essential amino acids were shown in the CH group (p > 0.05). Regarding the achieved results, it is recommended to use the chironomid larvae for the adaptation of Beluga larvae to the formulated diet due to its positive effects on growth and amino acid content.

Keywords