Evaluation of the optimum dietary essential amino acid pattern for adult pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus)

Abstract

Abstract The optimum levels of essential amino acids (EAAs) are required to be maintained in fish feed for obtaining normal body protein synthesis and muscle growth. This study aimed to determine the optimum dietary EAA pattern for adult pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) by the amino acid (AA) deletion method. A total of 165 adult fish of 1109.83\u202f±\u202f14.26\u202fg (initial body weight\u202f±\u202fstandard deviation) were equally distributed among 11 treatments in a recirculation aquaculture system. Each of the 11 treatments consisted of three randomly arranged replicates (tanks) and 5 fish were stocked per tank. During the 60-day experimental period, fish were fed with 11 diets including a control diet (CD) and 10 EAA limiting diets (LDs) two times daily until apparent satiation. The body nitrogen (N) retention and weight gain in fish fed with EAA LDs was lower (P\u202f \u202f0.05) to most EAA LDs, except arginine and histidine LDs. The specific growth rate in fish fed with tryptophan, arginine and histidine LDs was different (P