Effect of temperature on the growth, feeding performance, gonadal development, and nutritive compositions in the muscle of fry stream groupers, Acrossocheilus fasciatus

Abstract

Abstract To determine the optimal temperature in rearing of fry stream groupers, Acrossocheilus fasciatus, a total of 540 fry fish with an initial body weight of (0.57 ± 0.16) g, and body length of (4.08 ± 0.40) cm were randomly distributed to 18 15‐L tanks and reared at six different temperatures (12, 16, 20, 24, 26, and 28°C) for a period of 60 days. Fish were hand‐fed to satiation under all six different temperature treatments. At the end of the experiment, almost all the growth, feeding, and gonadal development parameters were higher in the 26°C group than in the rest of the groups. As temperature increased from 12 to 26°C, the specific growth rate and feeding efficiency of fry significantly increased (p 0.05). In conclusion, increases in temperature significantly improved the growth rate, feeding performance, and gonadal development rate of fry A. fasciatus. Regression analysis based on growth and feeding performance showed that the optimal temperature of rearing fry A. fasciatus was 23.81–26.57°C.

Keywords

• Acrossocheilus fasciatus
• feeding performance
• gonadal development
• growth
• nutritive compositions