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Optimal amounts of coconut oil in diets improve the growth, antioxidant capacity and lipid metabolism of large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea)

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of different dietary coconut oil (CO) levels on growth, antioxidant capacity and lipid metabolism of juvenile large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea). Five iso-nitrogen (45% crude protein) and iso-lipid (13% crude lipid) experimental diets were prepared by replacing 0% (the control), 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% fish oil with coconut oil. The results showed that dietary CO had no significant effect on survival rate (SR, P > 0.05). However, the specific growth rate was increased significantly when compared with the control group when fish were fed the diet with 50% CO (P < 0.05). The saturated fatty acids were increased significantly with increasing dietary CO in the liver and muscle, whereas the content of n-3 PUFA was decreased significantly (P < 0.05). The highest activities of glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase in the liver were recorded in fish-fed diet with 50% CO; conversely, the content of malondialdehyde was significantly decreased (P < 0.05). The mRNA expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α, carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1 and acyl-CoA oxidase reached the highest levels in fish-fed diet with 50% CO. To some extent, this indicated that the rapid oxidation reaction of fatty acids to provide energy may be the reason for the rapid growth of large yellow croaker. In conclusion, fish-fed diet with 50% CO increased the growth rate and antioxidant capacity. Therefore, the optimal replacement level of CO to FO in the diet should be 50%.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars of China [grant number: 31525024], the China Agriculture Research System [Grant number: CARS47-11], Aoshan Talents Program Supported by Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology [Grant number: 2015ASTP], Key Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grant number: 31830103] and Scientific and Technological Innovation of Blue Granary [Grant number: 2018YFD0900402]. We thank Kun Cui, Jiamin Li and Jinbao Li for their assistance in the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Aquaculture Nutrition and Feed, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China

    Tao Ding, Ning Xu, Yongtao Liu, Xueshan Li, Xiaojun Xiang, Dan Xu, Chuanwei Yao, Qiangde Liu, Zhaoyang Yin, Kangsen Mai & Qinghui Ai

  2. Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237, China

    Kangsen Mai & Qinghui Ai

Authors
  1. Tao Ding
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  2. Ning Xu
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  3. Yongtao Liu
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  4. Xueshan Li
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  5. Xiaojun Xiang
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  6. Dan Xu
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  7. Chuanwei Yao
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  8. Qiangde Liu
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  9. Zhaoyang Yin
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  10. Kangsen Mai
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  11. Qinghui Ai
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Contributions

QA and TD designed the experiments. TD, NX, YL, QL and ZY participated in breeding experiments and the production of feed. TD, NX, YL, DX, XJ and ZY collected the samples. TD performed the experiments and analyzed the data. TD wrote the paper. QA and KM directed and supervised the experiment. The final manuscript was approved by all the authors.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Qinghui Ai.

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All applicable international, national and institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed by the authors.

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Edited by Xin Yu.

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Ding, T., Xu, N., Liu, Y. et al. Optimal amounts of coconut oil in diets improve the growth, antioxidant capacity and lipid metabolism of large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea). Mar Life Sci Technol 2, 376–385 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42995-020-00045-z

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