Effect of different dietary protein and lipid levels on growth performance, body composition of juvenile red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii)

We evaluated the effect of dietary protein and lipid on growth and body composition in juvenile red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii). Nine groups of crayfish were fed nine experimental diets containing three levels of protein (24, 27, and 30 %) and three levels of lipid (4, 7, and 10 %) for 8 weeks. We used a 3 × 3 factorial model with four replicates and 12 crayfish (initial average weight, 2.52 ± 0.04 g) per replicate. We measured weight gain ratio (WG), specific growth rate (SGR), and body composition. WG and SGR were significantly (P < 0.05) affected by dietary lipid but not significantly (P < 0.05) affected by dietary protein. When grouped by lipid levels, the WG of crayfish fed diets containing 7 % lipid was higher than that of crayfish fed diets containing 4 or 10 % lipid. The diet containing 30 % protein and 7 % lipid promoted the most efficient growth (WG: 483.38 %, SGR: 3.14 % day⁻¹). Dietary protein and lipid had no effect on condition factor or the viscous content (VC). Dietary protein, but not lipid, had a significant (P = 0.038) effect on the muscle content (MC). Crayfish fed a diet containing 27 % protein and 4 % lipid had the highest (P < 0.05) MC (16.16 %). Dietary protein levels also had a significant (P = 0.04) effect on the shell content (SC). SC was higher in crayfish fed a 30 % protein diet than in those fed 24 or 27 % protein. Proximate analysis suggested that crayfish fed a diet containing 27 % protein had a significantly higher nutritive composition than fish fed 24 or 30 % protein. Dietary protein also affected both whole body and muscle dry matter (DM) content. Similarly, both dietary protein and lipid affected whole-body crude lipid. Hepatopancreas DM, lipid content, and protein content were affected by dietary lipid. In conclusion, a diet containing 4–7 % lipid and 27 % protein with a protein to digestible energy ratio of 17–21 g protein·MJ⁻¹ appeared optimal.