Effect of feeding frequency on growth, body composition and nitrogen waste of juvenile parrot fish Oplegnathus fasciatus

Abstract

Finial body weight and weight gain (WG), specific growth rate (SGR), and feed intake (FI) of the fish fed three and four meals daily were significantly higher than those of the fish fed one meal and two meals daily (P<0.05), but were not significantly different between three and four meals daily (P>0.05). There were no significant differences in feed conversion ratio (FCR) and nitrogen retention efficiency (NRE) among the groups fed at different feeding frequencies (P>0.05), although the group fed at three meals daily had relatively low FCR and high NRE compared to the groups fed at one, two, and four meals daily. At the end of feeding trial, contents of moisture and crude protein of the whole body of parrot fish were not significantly affected by the feeding frequency (P>0.05). However, fish fed at one meal daily significantly higher ash content (P<0.05) and lower crude lipid and energy contents (P<0.05) than the fish fed at two, three, and four meals daily, but there were no significant differences in crude lipid, ash and energy contents among the fish fed at two, three, and four meals daily (P>0.05). The total nitrogen waste (TNW) of fish was not significantly affected by the feeding frequency (P>0.05), although the fish fed at three meals daily had a relatively low TNW.t significantly different between three and four meals daily (P>0.05). There were no significant differences in feed conversion ratio (FCR) and nitrogen retention efficiency (NRE) among the groups fed at different feeding frequencies (P>0.05), although the group fed at three meals daily had relatively low FCR and high NRE compared to the groups fed at one, two, and four meals daily. At the end of feeding trial, contents of moisture and crude protein of the whole body of parrot fish were not significantly affected by the feeding frequency (P>0.05). However, fish fed at one meal daily significantly higher ash content (P<0.05) and lower crude lipid and energy contents (P<0.05) than the fish fed a