Marine and freshwater crab meals in diets for red porgy (Pagrus pagrus): Digestibility, ammonia-N excretion, phosphorous and calcium retention

Abstract

Two trials were conducted to evaluate the nutrient digestibility of river crab (RC) (Procambarus clarkii) and marine crab (MC) (Chaceon affinis) meals in diets for red porgy (Pagrus pagrus) and the effect on ammonia-N excretion and P and Ca retentions. In trial I, the apparent digestibility coefficient (ADC) of nutrients and energy contents in RC and MC meals were determined. Results showed that, the ADC values for protein, lipids, ash, dry matter and gross energy were significantly higher for MC than for RC meal. Both crab meals were efficiently digested despite their high chitin and ash contents. In trial II, red porgy were fed over 6 months with five diets: a control diet (CD) based on high quality fish meal (FM), and four diets where FM protein was replaced at a rate of 10% or 20% by protein derived from either RC or MC meal (RC10, RC20, MC10 and MC20). Replacement of the FM protein by RC or MC proteins had no effect both on protein utilisation and ammonia-N excretion rates, which ranged from 105 to 119 mg N–NH4+ kg− 1 day− 1 for all diets. A linear increase was observed in the dietary Ca/P ratio by the increase of the dietary RC and MC meal inclusions, resulting in a reduction in the whole fish body content of P, Ca and ash with interesting similar whole body Ca/P ratio (1.59–1.63) for all treatments. Accordingly, Ca, P and ash retention rates were significantly reduced by increasing the dietary proportion of both crab meals. Moreover, a negative relationship between fish growth and final whole body Ca, P and ash contents was obtained. However, no significant differences were observed in total P excretion value (kg P t− 1).