Growth, Survival, and Body Composition of Juvenile Atlantic Sturgeon Fed Five Commercial Diets under Hatchery Conditions
K. King-2004
North American Journal of Aquaculture: 66(1): 53–60
Abstract:
Growth and survival were evaluated for 1 year in
juvenile Atlantic sturgeon Acipenser
oxyrinchus (mean weight, 164.9 g) held at seasonal temperatures
(6.4–16.9°C) and fed five commercially available feeds: Biokyowa (BK;
control), Zeigler sturgeon (ZSD), Integral sturgeon (ISD), Atlantic salmon
(ASD2-30), and Government Ration trout diet (GR7-30). During the 365-d
study, the overall growth performance of the juvenile Atlantic sturgeon fed
ZSD, ASD2-30, and ISD was equal to that of the fish fed the BK diet and
superior to that of the fish fed GR7-30 (P < 0.05). The final mean
weight was highest for the fish fed ZSD and lowest for the fish fed GR7-30.
The fish fed the ZSD and BK diets were the only groups to continue gaining
weight in winter (6.4–9.7°C). The differences in growth may be related to
dietary levels or ingredient quality. Body moisture, body protein, and body
fat were affected by diet type and seasonal temperature. Among the diets
tested, ZSD and ASD2-30 produced the greatest growth at the lowest cost in
juvenile Atlantic sturgeon held at ambient seasonal temperatures.
(U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Northeast Fishery
Center, Lamar, Pennsylvania 16848, USA)