Growth efficiency of juvenile barramundi, Lates calcarifer, at high temperatures

• Published in: Aquaculture Vol. 250; no. 3; pp. 775 - 780
• Main Authors: Katersky, Robin S., Carter, Chris G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 30-12-2005; Elsevier Science; Elsevier Sequoia S.A
• Subjects: Agnatha. Pisces; Animal aquaculture; animal growth; Animal productions; Aquaculture; Asian sea bass; Barramundi; Biological and medical sciences; body composition; catadromous fish; diadromous fish; digestible energy; digestible protein; Feed intake; Fish; fish culture; fish feeding; Freshwater; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Growth efficiency; Lates calcarifer; mortality; nutritive value; Physical growth; protein efficiency ratio; Temperature; Vertebrates: general zoology, morphology, phylogeny, systematics, cytogenetics, geographical distribution; water temperature; Temperature; Growth efficiency; Lates calcarifer; Asian sea bass; Feed intake; Barramundi; Growth; Young animal; Marine environment; Vertebrata; Lutes calcarifer; Food intake; Pisces; Dicentrarchus labrax; Aquaculture
• ISSN: 0044-8486; 1873-5622
• DOI: 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2005.05.008

Temperature is recognized to be the most important environmental factor affecting growth in fish. Barramundi are cultured over a wide range of temperatures some of which approach the upper thermal tolerance for this species. A growth trial was conducted on juvenile barramundi to examine the effects of high temperatures ranging from the minimum optimal temperature (27 °C) for growth efficiency to the extreme upper thermal limits (39 °C) for feed intake, growth and growth efficiency. Juveniles (4.87
±
0.32 g) were held at four different temperatures 27, 33, 36 and 39 °C and fed twice daily to satiation (503.5 g kg
−
1
crude protein, 182.5 g kg
−
1
lipid, 150.1 g kg
−
1
ash, 20.52 GE MJ kg
−
1
). Feed intake (g·day
−
1
) and SGR (%·day
−
1
) increased with increasing temperature up to 36 °C. At 39 °C feed intake, growth, feed efficiency ratio, protein efficiency ratio and productive energy value were significantly lower than at the other temperatures. This demonstrates that growth was optimized at temperatures from 27 to 36 °C and that barramundi have a much wider range for maximum growth efficiency than previously thought.