Effect of n-3 HUFA levels in Artemia on growth of larval Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus)

Abstract

This experiment was conducted to investigate the n-3 HUFA requirements of larval Japanese flounder fed Artemia. Nine groups of Artemia which contained different levels of n-3 HUFA were prepared by feeding them with various lipid emulsions. Japanese flounder of 11.4 mm total length were divided into 18 groups and fed with one of the 9 groups of Artemia for 34 days, in duplicate. Moisture and lipid content, and lipid fractions and their fatty acid composition, of Artemia and fish were analyzed.

Larval flounder were able to survive for a long period on Artemia with a low n-3 HUFA content (1.8% on a dry weight basis). However, total length and body weight of fish increased significantly with increased n-3 HUFA level in Anemia up to 3.5%. A considerable amount of 22: 5n-3 was found in both the neutral and polar lipid fraction of the fish, suggesting that this fatty acid may have some important role in lipid metabolism of larval flounder.