Effect of type of food and culture density on growth and lipid composition of Seriola dumerili juveniles

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of three different types of food and two stocking densities on growth, survival and lipid composition of muscle and liver of Seriola dumerili juveniles. Juvenile of S. dumerili were randomly distributed in groups of 15 fish/tank (low stocking density, LD) and groups of 25 fish/tank (high stocking density, HD) and fed with three different types of food: commercial pellets for Sparidae (SP), commercial pellets for S. dumerili (SE) and frozen Mackerel (MA). Samples of muscle and liver were taken for lipid analysis at the end of trial (86 days). Fish fed with SP showed growth significantly lower than the groups fed with SE and MA for both stocking densities. Higher survival rates was observed in fish fed diet SE and MA held at LD. Lipid composition analyses revealed important differences between fish fed with different diets but no difference between groups with different stocking density were detected. Total lipid content in muscle and liver from fish fed with SE was very much higher than in fish fed with SP and MA, which was reflected in higher tryglicerides and lower cholesterol contents. The fatty acid composition of tissues clearly reflected the composition of the diet supplied. The groups fed with MA presented the highest proportion of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), arachidonic acid (ARA) and the lower amounts of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). In contrast, fish fed with SE presented the lower amounts of ARA and DHA and higher content in 18:2n-6 specifically in the liver. In consequence, fish fed with MA presented a higher DHA/EPA ratio and a lower EPA/AA ratio in both tissues while the opposite was observed in group SE. These preliminary results indicate that SE diet allows get better performance than SP diet obtaining growth and survival rates comparable to fish fed with MA, although with a higher lipid deposition in tissues.