Growth of juvenile dusky grouper Epinephelus marginatus at three different diets

Abstract

This study evaluated the growth of the dusky grouper submitted to different diets. A sample of fishes (5.56 ± 0.84 g and 7.1 ± 0.4 cm total length) was captured in the nature and distributed in 12 tanks (80 L, 15 fishes tank^-1). They were fed with three different diets (diet 1 = commercial ration; diet 2 = mussel; diet 3 = sardine) for 60 days. The variables of water quality (water temperature, oxygen level, total ammonia and salinity) were maintained inside ideal parameters for the species. No significant differences among the tested diets on the performance indicators (survival rate, specific-growth rate and daily growth rate) were found, although diet 1 (commercial ration) provided similar performance as natural food. Its facility of supply, stockpiling and handling make it as the better choice for the growth of the studied species on the tested conditions.