Fish Nutrition and Feed Technology (2+1)

Unit 9 - Nutritional requirements of cultivable fish and shell fish

9.2.Protein and amino acids

Proteins are major nutrient in fish tissue constituting about 65-75% of the total on the dry weight basis and are needed for replacement of worn-out tissues like intestine epithelial cells, enzyme and hormones which are required for proper body function. Protein are also required for synthesis of new tissues and hence growth.

The dietary protein requirement has a linear relationship with the specific growth rate, and the requirement data are obtained from dose response curves in fish. Optimal protein requirement in fish is affected by nutritional qualities of dietary protein and the level of energy from non protein source. Besides size, water temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH and feeding rate are some of the factors that affect protein requirement of fish.

Dietary protein requirements of some finfish and shellfish species for their optimum growth