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Stocking density alters growth performance, serum biochemistry, digestive enzymes, immune response, and muscle quality of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) in in-pond raceway system

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Abstract

The effects of stocking density on growth performance, serum biochemistry, digestive enzymes, immune response, and muscle quality of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) reared in nine in-pond raceway systems (IPRS, 22.0 m × 5.0 m × 2.0 m) were studied. M. salmoides with initial an body weight of 8.25 ± 0.51 g and body length of 6.99 ± 0.44 cm were reared at an initial stocking density of 90.91 ind./m3 (low stocking density, LSD), 113.63 ind./m3 (middle stocking density, MSD), and 136.36 ind./m3 (high stocking density, HSD) with triplication. After 300 days of culture, MSD recorded the highest final body weight, weight gain, specific growth rate, and yield, but the food conversion ratio in MSD was the lowest. The viscerosomatic index in LSD was significantly higher than other groups. The fish serum reared at HSD showed significantly lower total protein, higher total cholesterol, triglyceride, total bilirubin, glucose content, alanine transaminase, and aspartate transaminase activity. Significantly lower intestinal amylase, lipase, trypsin activities, hepatic superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities, and higher malondialdehyde content were detected in HSD compared to others. The content of crude lipid, saturated fatty acid decreased, and total essential amino acid, delicious amino acid, and polyunsaturated fatty acid increased in muscle with stocking density increase. No significant difference was observed in muscle texture. Profitability analysis indicated the benefit-to-cost ratio varied between 1.10 and 1.68, of which MSD was significantly higher than others. The optimal stocking density for M. salmoides should be 113.63 ind./m3 in an IPRS farm.

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The data and materials that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Funding

This work was financed by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2020YFD0900105), the Zhejiang Key Research and Development Project (2018C02033), and the Science Technology Department of Huzhou City (2018ZD2025).

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  1. Freshwater Fishery Healthy Breeding Laboratory of Ministry of Agriculture, Zhejiang Institute of Freshwater Fisheries, 999 Hangchaoqiao Road, Huzhou, Zhejiang, 313001, China

    Meng Ni, Mei Liu, Guoqiang Mi, Julin Yuan & Zhimin Gu

  2. Nanxun Fishery Technical Extension Center, Huzhou, Zhejiang, 313002, China

    Jianfeng Lou

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  1. Meng Ni
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  2. Mei Liu
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Contributions

Meng Ni carried out the experiments, analyzed the data, and wrote the manuscript. Mei Liu and Jianfeng Lou sampled and contributed the reagents/materials. Guoqiang Mi revised the manuscript. Zhimin Gu and Julin Yuan conceived the study and designed the experiments. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Zhimin Gu.

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All experiments were conducted strictly under the Guidance of the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals in China. This study was approved by the Committee on the Ethics of Animal Experiments of Zhejiang Institute of Freshwater Fisheries.

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Ni, M., Liu, M., Lou, J. et al. Stocking density alters growth performance, serum biochemistry, digestive enzymes, immune response, and muscle quality of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) in in-pond raceway system. Fish Physiol Biochem 47, 1243–1255 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10695-021-00948-3

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