2025/01/01 by Mashooq Ali, Amina Zuberi, Muhammad Ahmad +5 · 1 voice
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · #Aquaculture Nutrition and Growth
paper · doi:10.1139/cjz-2025-0036
openalex publication_date 2025/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/26
Balanced nutrient composition of larval fish diet significantly affects growth and survival. Stunted growth and high mortality are common issues in conventional carp hatcheries. To explore the causes, we analyzed the proximate and biochemical composition of live feed (LF) in nursery ponds and compared it to a formulated nano-diet (FND). Rohu ( Labeo rohita (Hamilton,1822)) larvae 3 days after hatching (DAH) were divided into 10 tanks, with five receiving LF and five FND until 35 DAH. Larvae were periodically analyzed for growth and gene expression at specific intervals (3, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 DAH). Significant differences in body composition were observed between the two groups. Certain essential fatty acids (arachidonic acid, EPA, and DHA) and amino acids (methionine, lysine, and phenylalanine) were lower in both LF and LF-fed larvae compared to FND and FND-fed larvae. The FND group showed higher survival, specific growth rate, and net weight gain. Additionally, higher expression of GH, IGF-1, and myogenic regulatory factors in the FND group suggest that nutrient composition influences molecular growth regulation. In contrast, elevated Myostatin expression in LF-fed larvae suggests a potential inhibitory effect on early myogenesis, which might indicate the limited nutrient availability in LF.