INFLUENCE OF EICOSAPENTAENOIC TO DOCOSAHEXAENOIC ACID RATIO ( EPA/DHA) OF DIETARY LIPIDS ON GROWTH AND FATTY ACID COMPOSITION OF GILTHEAD SEABREAM ( SPARUS AURATA) JUVENILES

C. Ibeas, J.R. Cejas, R. Fores, P. Badia, T. Gomez, A. Lorenzo

Hernandez-1997

Aquaculture, 150: 91-102

Abstract:

A feeding experiment was conducted to investigate the influence of

eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3; EPA) to docosahexaenoic acid

(22:6n-3; DHA) ratio (EPA/DHA) of dietary lipids on growth and

fatty acid composition of gilthead seabream juveniles. Fish were fed

three diets containing the same amount of total n-3 highly unsaturated

fatty acids (n-3 HUFA) but different EPA/DHA ratios. No mortality

was observed during the feeding trial, but significant differences were

found in growth rate. The best growth rate and lowest hepatosomatic

index was obtained in fish fed a diet containing an EPA/DHA ratio of

2/1. The dietary lipid treatment had no effect on the EPA/DHA ratio

in neutral lipid of all the tissues studied. However, marked differences

in EPA/DHA ratio were found in polar lipids of the liver, muscle and

gills. It is concluded that, under the conditions employed, an

EPA/DHA ratio of 2/1 in the diet improves the condition of juvenile

gilthead seabream.

(Departamento de Biologia Animal, Facultad de Biologia,

Universidad de La Laguna, 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary

Islands, Spain)

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