FISHERIES RESEARCH INSTITUTE,MOA,TAIWAN

The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of feeding stimulants as supplements of dietary on the growth and digestive enzyme activities in sea bass, Lateolabrax japonicus. Fish meal was used as main protein source in basal diets (49% crude protein). Composite feeding stimulants include L-Alanine, L-Glutamic acid, L-Arginine, Nucleotide (with ratio 2:2:2:1, w/w/w/w). Sea bass fed the stimulants added diets for eight weeks showed significantly higher total feed intake, weight gain and feed efficiency than those that fed without stimulants (p < 0.05). Among them, the 5% composite feeding stimulants added group was significantly higher than other groups in the total feed intake and weight gain (p < 0.05). The 5% group was higher than the 0% and 1% groups in feed efficiency. The survival rates (87.2 ~ 94.9%) were not significantly affected. The specific activities of protease, lipase and amylase in stimulants added groups were higher than those that fed without stimulants. The results showed that a supplement level of 5% composite feeding stimulants added had the best growth performance and highest digestive enzyme activities.