A dietary energy level of 14.6 MJ kg-1 and protein-to-energy ratio of 20.2 g MJ-1 results in best growth performance and nutrient accretion in silver barb Puntius gonionotus fingerlings

Five iso-nitrogenous (300 g protein kg-1 diet) and iso-lipidic (80 g kg-1 diet) semi-purified experimental diets with variable energy levels of 10.5 (D-1), 12.5 (D-2), 14.6 (D-3), 16.7 (D-4) and 18.8 (D-5) MJ kg-1 diets were fed to Puntius gonionotus fingerlings (average weight 1.79 +/- 0.02 g) in triplicate groups (15 healthy fishes per replicate) for a period of 90 days to assess the optimum dietary energy level and protein-to-energy ratio (P/E). Fifteen flow-through cement tanks of 100 L capacity with a flow rate of 0.5 L min-1 were used for rearing the fish. Maximum specific growth rate, protein efficiency ratio, protein productive value, RNA : DNA ratio, whole body protein content, digestive enzyme activity and minimum feed conversion ratio was found in fish-fed diet D-3 with 14.6 MJ kg-1 energy level. There were no improvements in all these parameters with the further rise in dietary energy level. Hence, it may be concluded that the optimum dietary gross energy level for maximum growth and nutrient utilization of silver barb is 14.6 MJ kg-1 diet with a resultant P/E ratio of 20.2 g protein MJ-1 diet, when the dietary protein and lipid are maintained at optimum requirement levels of 300 and 80 g kg-1 diet, respectively, for this species.