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Abstract

This study investigated the effect of using Mortierella alpina meal (MAM) as a dietary arachidonic acid (ARA) source on the growth, whole-body fatty acid composition, and ARA retention of the orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides). Four diets supplemented with 0% (control), 1%, 2%, and 5% MAM actually contained 0.93%, 1.14%, 1.34%, and 1.93% ARA. Four experimental diets were fed to triplicate groups of fish (initial weight: 7.21 ± 0.21 g) in a recirculating system for 8 weeks. The final body weight, weight gain percentage, specific growth rate, daily feed intake, feed efficiency, and survival of fish did not significantly differ (p > 0.05) among treatment groups. The fatty acid level of the whole body of fish generally reflected the diet composition. The whole-body ARA concentration of grouper significantly increased with an increase in dietary MAM supplementation levels. The whole bodies of fish fed the control diet and diet containing 1% MAM had higher ARA retention levels than those fed diets containing 2% and 5% MAM. The results demonstrate that grouper can utilize ARA from MAM. However, the utilization of MAM by fish decreased with an increase in dietary supplementation levels.

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