A Preliminary Study on the Dietary Protein Requirement of Parachanna obscura (Gunther, 1861) Larvae

Effects of increasing dietary protein on growth parameters, feed utilization were studied in Parachanna obscura larvae with initial body weight 0.12 +/- 0.01 g. The experiment was conducted during 28 days in re-circulating system composed of 15 tanks containing 20 L of water each. 50 larvae were stocked per tank. Five semi - purified isoenergetic experimental diets were formulated with different protein level (35, 45, 50, 55 and 60 g/100 g of diet). Each diet was tested in triplicate. Growth parameters and feed utilization were significantly influenced by dietary protein (P<0.05). Specific Growth Rate varied from 8.86 to 11.53%/d. Best Specific Growth Rate, Feed Efficiency and Productive Protein Value were obtained with diet containing 55% of protein. The highest body protein content was found with larvae fed by diet with 55% of protein (P<0.05). Feed Efficiency and Productive Protein Value of fish fed on 45, 50 and 60% dietary protein were not significantly different (P>0.05). Second degree polynomial regression and broken line models were used to analyze the relationships between dietary crude protein and SGR. Based on the results of this study, protein requirements of P. obscura larvae ranged from 45 and 55.5% of the diet.