Dietary arginine requirement of the African catfish, Clarias gariepinus

摘要

Dietary arginine requirement of the African catfish, C. gariepinus, was determined in a 70-day growth study using diets containing casein and gelatin as sources of intact protein, supplemented with crystalline amino acids, and formulated to a CP content of 400 g/kg and gross energy content of 12 kJ/g DM. The diets contained graded levels of arginine (40-65 g/kg protein) and were fed to triplicate groups of African catfish (16.6±1.8 g) twice a day to satiation. Dietary arginine requirement, estimated using break point analysis, was 45 g/kg of dietary protein. Although no diet-related mortality was observed, African catfish fed diets containing arginine <45 g/kg diet (arginine-deficient diets) showed reduced growth responses.