Nutritional requirements of cultivable
fish and shellfish (Carbohydrates, vitamins and
Minerals)
Carbohydrates
Like protein and lipids, carbohydrates are also
another source of energy.
Fish do not have specific dietary requirement, but
carbohydrates are always included in fish diets as
they are inexpensive energy source and act as
pellet binder.
Carbohydrates also serve as precursors for
formation of various metabolic intermediates
needed for growth.
Carbohydrates have been shown to have a protein
sparing effect in many aquaculture species.
Cont….
Carps, tilapia, milkfish and prawns efficiently utilize
carbohydrates as energy.
In the absence of adequate dietary carbohydrates, fish
utilize protein for energy at the cost of growth.
Several species of carps are considered herbivorous in
nature and hence use of cheap sources of digestible
energy becomes an important consideration.
Carps are able to utilize D-glucose, fructose, sucrose,
dextrin and starch from potato, rice and tapioca. Some
of the cyprinids can utilize cellulose.
Chitin (0.5%) or its precursor glucosamine (0.8%)
when included in diet has been shown to improve
growth and feed efficiency in prawns.
Carbohydrate levels in commercial semi-intensive
prawn feeds is in the range of 25-30%. [n feeds for
extensive culture, starch level in the range 35-40%
is being used.
In Penaeus indicus starch digestibility was
maximum upto a dietary level of 20%.
Different fish species have varying capacity to
utilize carbohydrates.
Cont….
For example, rainbow trout efficiently utilizes dextrin and
gelatinized starch, while a small inclusion of starch in
salmon diet is always beneficial. It is assumed that seabass,
Lates calcarifer poorly utilizes carbohydrate since its
natural food is rich in protein.
Prawns utilize more efficiently poly-and di-saccharides.
Carbohydrate is the major constituent of the diet of
herbivores and omnivores and it is digestible to the extent
of 55-60%.
The optimum dietary requirements of carbohydrates are
22-26% for carps, 30-40% for common carp, less than 25%
for rainbow trout.
However, carbohydrate levels generally do not exceed 30%
in carp diet. The commercial diet of prawns normally
contains 35-40% carbohydrates.
Vitamins
Vitamins are required in traces which are essential for fish
growth and health.
They are also required for metabolism of other nutrients.
Many of the water soluble vitamins act as co-enzymes.
Fishes derive required vitamins from natural food, which
become limited in intensive fish culture due to high
stocking densities
Fish require 11 water soluble vitamins, namely thiamine,
riboflavin, pyridoxine, niacin, pantothenic acid, inositol,
folic acid, choline, biotin, ascorbic acid and B12 along with
four fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E and K.
Water soluble vitamins, when taken in excess are excreted.
However, excess fat soluble vitamins in the diet results in
abnormal growth and liver diseases
Vitamin requirements in diets (per kg feed)
Ascorbic acid: 1OO-150mg/ kg for carp and channel
catfish, 300 mg/kg for salmon and trout
Choline: Trout and salmon 600-800mg/kg diet; carp
500-600mg / kg diet; recommended level in prawn
diet 400-2000mg/ kg
Inositol: In fish diets 200-400 mg/ kg; recommended
level in prawn diets 300mg/ kg.
Thiamine: Channel catfish require about 1mg/kg,
salmon and trout 10-12mg/ kg, carp 2-3 mg / kg and
recommended level in prawn diets 50-100 mg/kg.
Cont….
Riboflavin: Salmon and trout 10-12mg; carp 4-7mg;
channel catfish 10mg; prawns 30-50mg/kg diet
Pyridoxine: In fish diets 10-20mg/ kg, prawn diets 30-
50mg/ kg
Pantothenic Acid: Salmon and trout 40-50 mg; carp
30-40mg; channel catfish 2S-30mg; prawns 50-100
mg/kg diet
Niacin: Fish in general 50-100 mg/ kg; carp 25-30mg;
prawn diets 100-1500mg/kg
Biotin: 0.4 to 1.0mg/ kg diet for fish and 1mg/ kg diet
for prawns.
Cont…
Folic acid: Range between 5-10mg/ kg for fish and 5-10mg
/ kg for prawns.
Cyanocobalamine (B12): Fish 0.015 to 0.02 mg/kg dry diet;
prawns 0.02 - 0.1 mg/kg diet
Vitamin A: Fish 1000-2000 I.U/ kg; recommended level for
prawns 5000-10000 I.U./ kg feed
Vitamin D: Fish requires between 1000 and 1000 l.U.,
recommended level for prawns 1000-2000 l.U./kg feed
Vitamin E: In fish dietary level recommend ed range from
30-50mg/kg diet and for prawns 100-200 IU. / kg.
Vitamin K: Dietary level in fish feeds: 10mg/kg; prawn fees
5-20mg/kg.
Minerals
Minerals are required for osmotic balance of various
metabolic process and for structural functions in fish.
Some minerals such as calcium are directly obtained
by fish through gills and skin or both, while others are
made available from natural food and ingested
detritus.
There are more than 20 recognized mineral for
performing essential functions in the body.
The minerals required by fish are calcium,
phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium,
chlorine, and sulphur along with a number of trace
elements such as cobalt, copper, iodine, iron,
manganese, selenium, zinc, aluminum, chromium and
vanadium.
Cont…..
Calcium and phosphorus are closely related in
metabolism and constitute major part of skeletal
system.
Calcium plays a major role in blood clotting, muscle
function and proper nerve impulse transmission.
Phosphorus is involved in energy transformation,
permeability of cellular membrane and general
control of reproduction and growth.
Mineral requirements in diets (per kg feed)
Minerals Requirements
Calcium (g) trout and salmon 0.2-0.3 common carp 0.28,
red sea bream 3.4; Japanese eel 2.7; Indian
and Chinese carps 5-18; prawns 10-18
Phosphorus trout and salmon 7-8; common carp 6-7; tilapia
(g): 9; red sea bream 6.8; Japanese eel 2.9; channel
catfish 4-7; Indian and Chinese carps 5-7; sea
bass, sea bream 7-8
Magnesium trout and salmon 0.5-0.7; carp 0.4-0.5; fish( in
(g): general) 0.5; prawns 0.8-1.0
Copper (mg) trout and salmon 3; channel catfish 1.5; fish (in
general) 1-4; prawns 25.
Cont…..
Manganese trout and salmon 12-13; carp 4; fish (in
(mg) general) 20-25, prawns 20
Zinc (mg) trout and salmon 15-30; fish (in general) 30-
100; prawns 50-100
Iron (mg) carp 150, fish (in general) 50-100, prawns 5-
20
Cobalt (mg) fish (in general) 5-10; prawns 10
Selenium (mg) trout and salmon 0.1-0.4; prawn 1
Sodium (g) fish (in general) 1-3; prawns 6
Potassium (g) fish (in general) 1-3; prawns 9
Sulfur (g) fish 3-5; prawns 0.2
Chlorine (mg) fish 1-5
