FACULTY OF FISHERY SCIENCES

FAQ-213

A SEMINAR ON:

Nutritional requirements of exotic carps in different life stages

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In India, composite carp culture is the main activity of freshwateraquaculture in which 3 indigenous carps and equal no. of compatibleexotic carps are used as candidate species. Exotic carps are exogenousChinese carps which are non native to India. They also have a fastergrowth rate and are introduced from outside the country. Exotic carpsalso like other fishes needs nutrition for their growth, metabolism andother activities.

The qualitative and quantitative requirement of nutrients for growth,reproduction and other normal physiological functions is known asnutritional requirement.Nutrients required by the fish are broadly classified into the following

categories:ProteinsCarbohydratesFats or LipidsVitaminsMinerals

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Common carp ( Cyprinus carpio )Silver carp ( Hypophthalmicthys molitrix )

Grass carp ( Ctenopharyngodon idella )

But there are so many exotic carp like:Big head carp (Aristichthys nobilis) ,Black carp (Mylopharyngodonpiceus) ,Mud carp (Cirrhina molitolla) etc.

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KINGDOM- Animalia

PHYLUM-Vertebrata

CLASS- Actinopterygii

ORDER- Cypriniformes

FAMILY- Cyprinidae

SPECIES- Hypophthalmicthyes molitrix

Ctenopharyngodon idella

Cyprinus carpio

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COMMON

CARP

GRASS

CARP

SILVER

CARP

Black

carp

Big head

carpMud carp

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• LARVAL

• FRY

• FINGERLING

• ADULT

• BROODSTOCK

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NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS OF DIFFERENT LIFE STAGES

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Requirements for protein in larval fish are greater than in adult fish and the requirements for essential fatty acids are also greater.

Diets given to larval fish should also be over fortified with vitamins.

Nutrient quality of live feeds should be high , particularly in respect of hatchery rearing of finfish species, which are nurtured on a single type of live food at any one time.

The live foods that have been most intensely investigated in respect of their nutritive suitability are brine shrimp and rotifers.

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Contd…

In brine shrimp, Artemia, the main factor affecting its quality as afood source for marine larval organisms is its content of the essentialfatty acid eicosapentanoic acid [C20:5(n-3),EPA]. Another essentialfatty acid , docosahexaenoic acid [C22:6(n-3), DHA],is also low inArtemia .

The nutritive value of rotifers , also deficient in n-3 fatty acid, ismade suitable by culturing in a suitable medium such as yeast, byfeeding with a mixture of homogenized lipids and baker’s yeast or amarine algae , chlorella sp , all of which are rich in n-3polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Increasing the essential fatty acid content of live foods which arethen fed to larvae has been shown to be beneficial.

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In fry stage , high protein feeds in 41-53% protein range seem to be required. Protein rich feeds are very successful in this stage.

In this stage ,they are fed with yeast supplemented with a 4.5% vitamin / mineral premix and 5.5% meat extract which produce excellent results.

Yeast feed compliments Artemia nauplii plus boiled egg diet.

The total amount of dry yeast feed required is about 250g for 50,000 hatchlings in a 100×100×60 cm plastic tank. Feed is scattered over the water surface 6-7 times a day:15g/day for the first few days with grain size not larger than 250μm increasing to 25g/day of grains upto 500μm from the third day and up to 40g/day of 750μm grains towards the end of the trial .

Krill meal is an acceptable substitute for fish meal in high protein (42%) feeds.

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In this stage yeasts and bacterial proteins are well utilized as feedsrather than plant proteins such as spirulina and extracted proteinconcentrate.

Fingerlings will grow very well on duckweed (which is usuallyaround 30% dry weight crude protein).

Exotic carp fingerlings have been grown in intensive tank culturefrom 2.7 to 72.7 g in 88 days on the duckweed Lemna minimaconsuming 4 to 7% body weight/day.

It is probable that exotic carp fingerlings receiving dry completepelleted feeds in intensive tank culture could grow much faster thanthis.

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The stomach in carps is absent and so feed for long periods of time.Therefore, in intensive carp culture, fish are usually fed small amounts of feedat frequent intervals. For example, the best feed conversion for 40 g carp at23⁰C. is obtained from giving a total of 2.2% body weight per day, drycomplete pelleted diet as nine equal feedings.

The best growth, however, is obtained using the same frequency at 6.5% bodyweight per day.

The optimum growth temperature ranges for carps are: common carp, 23- 30⁰C, silver carp, 30-31 ⁰C, grass carp, 22-25 ⁰C

Food passes through the fish gut quickens with temperature and can doublein speed for a 10°C rise. At temperature below optimum level the growth ofcarps fall rapidly.

So for proper growth & metabolic activity of carp the temperature should bekept optimum .

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Sufficient natural food can be produced in a well-managed and adequatelyfertilized pond large enough to provide qualitative and quantitativenutrition for the broodstock which is also an adult stage.

A 20 to 40 m2 pond surface can produce the necessary food for onefemale.

Utilization of the protein-rich natural food will be improved if supplementof 1% of the body weight of each breeder is given daily in the form of acarbohydrate rich grain feed.

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If the pond surface is less than 20 to 40 m2 per female, a complementary protein-rich feed has to be given daily in a ratio of 2 to 2.5% of the bodyweight.

Other suitable supplementary feeds are the protein-rich grains such as soyabean,beans, peas, lupins, good bran, oilcakes, etc.

Females need a diet rich in animal protein, vitamins and minerals for thedevelopment of the oocytes in the ovary. Males do not need such rich feed as thefemales.

The protein content of their supplementary feed can be reduced to about 15 to 20%of crude protein. However, natural food is the most important part of the diet of all thebroodstock.

Excess fat, carbohydrate in the diet for broodstock is not recommended as it willpluck the vent and causes problem in release of egg and milt.

Contd…

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The required dietary Level of nutrients is be influenced by the following:

Feed in take;

Energy of the diet;

Level and interaction of nutrients in the diet;

Availability of nutrients;

Temperature and chemical composition of water;

Presence of toxins, enzyme inhibitors and microorganisms;

Presence and level of feed additives;

Infectious disease, clinical or subclinical and

Expected level of performance and carcass composition

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Protein requirement of exotic carps is also influenced by water temperature, natural food availability

(in ponds), the amount of non-protein energy in the diet, dietary protein quality, sex of fish and stocking.

Protein has a metabolizable energy value of 4.1 kcal/gm in exotic carps.

The growth rate of exotic carp fingerlings feeding on artificial feeds having iso-protein levels (29.5–

30.8%) was more than doubled (250–450.5 mg weight gain/day; and 5.4–12.2% feed conversion

efficiency) at 26–29°C as compared to water temperatures of 18–22.5°C (90–220.5 mg weight gain/day;

and 2.9–7.7% feed conversion efficiency).

Protein quality also has a very significant effect on growth of exotic carps.

Protein quality refers to the nutritional value of proteins which is based on amino acid sequence of

protein source specially essential amino acids content and the biological availability of amino acids from

the protein density.

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About 23 amino acids have been isolated from natural proteins and 10 of thesehave been found to be indispensable (essential) for certain fishes includingcommon carp, and others are grouped under dispensable (non-essential) aminoacids.

The essential amino acids (E.A.A.) are those which can not be synthesized at all inthe body of the animal or they are not synthesized in sufficient quantity to supportmaximum growth.

The 10 essential amino acids are arginine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine,methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine. However, two non-essential amino acids (i.e. cystine and tyrosine have been found to have somesparing effect on E.A.A. i.e. methionine (cystine-methionine) and phenylalanine(tyrosine-phenylalanine combinations).

Exotic carps, like other animals must consume protein to maintain a continuoussupply of amino acids. The consumed protein is digested or hydrolysed to releasefree amino acids that are absorbed from the intestinal tract of the animal anddistributed by the blood to various organs and tissues. These amino acids are thenused to synthesize new proteins. 19

AMINO ACIDS PERCENTAGE (%)

Arginine 4.2(1.6/38.5)

Histidine 2.1(0.8/38.5)

Isoleucine 2.3(0.9/38.5)

Leucine 3.4(1.3/38.5)

Lysine 5.7(2.2/38.5)

Methionine 3.1(1.2/38.5)

Phenylalanine 6.5(2.5/38.5)

Threonine 3.9(1.5/38.5)

Tryptophan 0.8(0.3/38.5)

Valine 3.6(1.4/38.5)

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Carbohydrates are major source of dietary energy which can be used to meet the entire metabolic energy requirements leaving proteins for growth. The metabolizable energy of carbohydrate is estimated to be 4.0 Kcal/g.

Carbohydrates ranges from simple sugars, glucose and fructose (monosaccharides) , sucrose and maltose (disaccharides) to complex starches and cellulose (polysaccharides).

Carbohydrates are present in small quantities in the animal body as glycogen, sugars and their derivatives.

Exotic carps make good use of carbohydrates.

Requirement of carbohydrates by the fishes is highly variable (10–45% of the diet). The optimum carbohydrate (as dextrin) requirement has been shown to be 26%.

Although common carp can utilize higher levels of carbohydrate, diets containing over 40% retarded growth and lowered feed efficiency.

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Lipids are broadly classified as i) fats, ii) phospholipids, iii) Sphin gomyelins, iv) Waxes, and v) Sterols,

Fats are the fatty acid esters of glycerol and are the primary energy depots of animals.

The metabolizable energy of fat is estimated to be 9.1 Kcal/g in exotic carps.

Dietary lipids help in absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.

Phospho-lipids and sterol esters play a vital role in the structure of biological membranes both at cellular and subcellular levels.

Triglycerides (neutral fats) are often the storage lipids and reflect the fatty acid composition of the feed than do the phospholipids.

Lipids are also important in textural and flavour properties of fish.22

Many of fish fats contain numerous unsaturated double bonds (Polyunsaturatedfatty Acids, PUFA) in the fatty acid structures.

The fatty acid composition of fishes is affected by environmental factors such astemperature and salinity, seasonal variations, maturity and also diet composition.Fats are easily digested (digestibility about 90% or higher) and assimilated byfishes.

This carp has an essential fatty acid (F.F.A.) requirements for both w-3 and w-6fatty acids.

The best weight gains and feed conversions are obtained in exotic carp receiving adiet containing both 1%, 18:2 w-6 and 18:3 w-3 (the first number identifies thenumber of carbons; the second number, the number of double bonds; and the lastnumber, the position of double bonds) fatty acids.

Moreover, the fat content of carp diets should generally be about 5–10%particularly providing PUFA sources having n-3 and n-6 series.

Contd…

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Vitamins are organic compounds required in trace amounts in the function of mostforms of life but which some organisms are unable to synthesize.

Like other fishes,exotic carps meet their vitamin requirements from natural food inponds.

Vitamins are of two categories (i) water-soluble vitamins (Vitamin B Complex andVitamin C) and (ii) fat-soluble vitamins (Vitamin A,D,E and K).

Water soluble vitamins have unique coenzyme functions in cell metabolism withthe exception of two water-soluble growth factors (Choline and inositol) andascorbic acid.

Vitamin A is involved in calcium transport across some membranes, inreproduction and embryonic development, and in cellular and subcellular integrity.

Vitamin D stimulates absorption of calcium from the intestine.

Vitamin E also helps in membrane permeability and normal development ofvascularized areas such as gonad. Also it is said that Vitamin E protects highlyunsaturated fatty acids in lipids of biological membranes from oxidation in thepresence of molecular oxygen.

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VITAMIN mg/kg/diet

Thiamin 2–3

Riboflavin 7.0

Pyridoxine 5–6

Pantothenic acid 30–50

Nicotinic acid 28

Biotin 1

Folic acid Nil

Vitamin B12 Nil

Choline 500–600

Inositol 440

Ascorbic acid 30–50

Vitamin A 10,000 IU

Vitamin D Nil

Vitamin E 200–300

Vitamin K Nil25

Minerals are important nutrients as these are required for normal bone,tissue, blood plasma and haemoglobin formations and also for manyenzymatic reactions.

Calcium (Ca) and Phosphorus (P) are required for the formation of skeletaltissues. The ratio of calcium to phosphorus in scales and bones of exoticcarp ranges from about 1.5 to 2.1.

Calcium is also essential for blood clotting, muscle function, proper nerveimpulse transmission, osmoregulation and for serving as a cofactor duringvarious enzymatic processess.

Phosphorus is also involved in energy transformations, cellular membranepermeability, genetic coding and general control of reproduction andgrowth.

For exotic carp, the minimum requirement of calcium in diet is about0.028% and that of phosphorus is 0.6–0.7%.

Other minerals required by exotic carps are magnesium, sodium, chlorinepotassium and chromium etc.

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MINERALS REQUIREMENT

Calcium <0.1

Phosphorus 0.6-0.7

Potassium R

Magnesium 0.05

Iron 150

Copper 3

Manganese 13

Zinc 15-30

Iodine R

Selenium R

R = required but not estimated27

Trace elements required in traces are growth stimulants.

Elements like manganese, copper, iron, cobalt, iodine and zinc are required in minute quantities in balanced ration mainly for improving protein assimilation and survival rates.

Cobalt chloride and manganese @ 0.01 mg/day/fish give higher rates of survival and growth of spawn, fry and fingerlings of exotic carps.

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Exotic carps needs nutrition for their growth, metabolism and other activities.

The essential nutrients ,required mainly for growth energy & body maintenance etc are protein, carbohydrate, fats, vitamins & minerals.

All types of feed used in aquaculture but no single feed can supply all of the nutrients and energy requirement for optimum growth of fish.

So the feeds are comprised of a mixture of foods, vitamin as well as mineral premixes that provides adequate amount of essential nutrient as well as the energy necessary for their utilization.

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The nutrient requirements vary according to species , genetic strain , sex andsexual maturity which affects quality , growth rate , feed conversion andcarcass composition finally affecting fish yield and fish. According tonutritional requirement , fry and adult fish subsist on flagellata , dinoflagellata, myxophycea , bacillariophycea, protozoa and rotifera supplemented withdecayed macrovegetation and detritus. It is very important for us to knowabout the nutritional requirement of exotic carps . If we don’t know, we willnot be able to give the best food containing the nutrients in proper amount tothe fish and it will lead improper growth, malnutrition therefore manydiseases and further loss is occurred in culture.

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AQUACULTURE principles and practices(second

edition) – T.V.R. PILLAY & M.N. KUTTY.

Hand book of fisheries and aquaculture – ICAR.

Fish nutrition in aquaculture – S. S. De Silva and T. A.

Anderson.

Nutrition and feeding of fish – Tom Lovell.

www.fao.org

www.google.com

www. wikipedia.com

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