Effect of nitrogen and phosphorus on the growth of a red tide dinoflagellateScrippsiella trochoidea (Stein) Loeblich III

Scrippsiella trochoidea (Stein) Loeblich III was grown in a nitrogen-or phosphorus-limited batch culture system in laboratory. Growth rates and cellular Chl-a were measured as functions of nitrate and phosphate concentrations. Growth rates were hyperbolic with both nitrate and phosphate concentration and fit the Monod equation. The minimum cell quota of nitrogen and phosphorus and then the optimum N∶P ratio ofS. trochoidea were estimated in this study. Measurement of phosphate concentration in Jiaozhou Bay suggest that phosphorus is the limiting factor ofS. trochoidea growth. Contribution No. 3679 from the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Project 39790110 supported by NSFC, the study aslo supported by the National Climbing Project B (PDBG-7-2) and partly supported by an MF grant from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.     

THE EFFECTS OF NITROGEN,PHOSPHORUS,VITAMINS AND TRACE METALS ON THE GROWTH OF THE RED TIDE ORGANISM PROROCENTRUM MICANS

Laboratory culture experiments showed that < 100μmol/L nitrate, amonium or mixture of aminoacids promote the growth of the red tide organism Prorocentrum micans Ehrenb, but that >100μmol/Lof ammonium, or mixture of glycine and glutamate was harmful to growth, and that orthophosphatewas P. micrns’main phosphorous soruce in the ocean. Presence of 80μmol/L EDTA, 0.5 to 1μmol/LFe~(3+), 1.0 to 20.0 μmol/L Mn~(2+) 0.1 to 0.4 μmol/L Co~(2+) in the culture medium could improvethe growth of P. micans. Vitamin B_1 promoted growth, but vitamin B_(12) and biotin did not. Theestimated minimum cell quotaS (q_ο) for nitrogen and phosphorus being 0.74 pmole/cell and 0.045pmole/cell show that phosphorus (more than nitrogen) limits the growth of P. micans in the study area.     

Effects of Fe and Mn on the growth of a red tide dinoflagellateScrippsiella trochoidea (Stein) Loeblch III

Batch culture experiments were conducted with a red tide dinoflagellateScrippsiella trochoidea (Stein) Loeblch III collected from Jiaozhou Bay, Shangdong, China. Growth rates and oellular Chl—a were measured in media with iron and manganese ion concentrations controlled at different levels using EdTA-trace metal buffer systems. Cell density increased 3.2 times to 6.5 times over the range of lowest (0 mol/L) to highest (10⁻⁵ mol/L) iron and manganese ion concentrations. The range of cell density response was much lower than the range of total available iron and manganese, which was >100—fold that of Fe. This nonlinear relationship indicates that the cells adapt to make more efficient use of iron and manganese under limiting conditions. The cellular Chl—a content maximized after 3 days incubation and then decreased gradually under either iron or manganese limitation conditions. It indicated that the algae gained higher photosynthesis ability when transferred to a new environment. Growth responses to iron and manganese limitation can be both modeled according to the equation of Monod. The half—saturation constant for growth,k, is 4.6×10⁻⁸ mol/L for Fe and 5.1×10⁻⁸ mol/L for Mn. Our results showed that the iron availability in Jiaozhou Bay does not limit the growth ofS. trochoidea. Contribution No. 2831 from the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Project 9389008 supported by NSFC; Study supported by PDB6.     

Effect of dietary phosphorus on the growth and body components of juvenile Synechogobius hasta

The effect of dietary phosphorus on the growth and body components of juvenile Synechogobius hasta was determined. Different percentages of dietary phosphorus (0.63, 0.77, 0.93, 1.06, 1.22 and 1.36) were tested by feeding the fish (body weight, 15.81 g ± 0.32 g; 20 individuals each group; 3 groups each percentage) at a surplus of 5%–10% above satiation for 35 d. Dietary phosphorus did not significantly affect the specific growth rate, feed intake, feed conversion ratio and protein efficiency rate. Nitrogen retention was found to be the highest in fish fed the diet containing 1.06% of phosphorus; however, this was not significantly different from other diets. Fish fed the diet containing 0.93% of phosphorus showed the highest phosphorus retention; similar phosphorus retention rates were found in fish fed the diets containing 0.77% and 1.06% of phosphorus. Fish fed the diet containing the highest percentage of dietary phosphorus were found to contain the least whole body lipid, lower than fish fed other diets (P<0.05). The protein content increased from 18.59% to 19.55% (although not significant) with the decrease of body lipid content (P>0.05). The contents of the whole body ash, whole body phosphorus and vertebrae phosphorus increased with dietary phosphorus percentage up to 1.06 (P<0.05), reaching a plateau after that. Dietary phosphorus did not significantly influence the muscle components (protein, lipid and moisture). Condition factor and hepatosomatic index were the highest in fish fed the diet containing 0.63% of dietary phosphorus; however, this was not significantly different from those of other diets. The second-order polynomial regression of phosphorus retention against dietary phosphorus identified a breakpoint at 0.88% of dietary phosphorus. However, the dietary requirement of phosphorus for maintaining maximum phosphorus storage determined by broken-line analysis of the contents of whole body phosphorus, and ash and vertebrae phosphorus was 1.06% of the diet.     

Experimental study on the interspecific interactions between the two bloom-forming algal species and the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis

The interspecific interactions between the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis and two harmful algal blooms (HAB) species were investigated experimentally by single culture method. B. plicatilis population and the growth of the two algae were compared at different algal cell densities. The results demonstrated that the B. plicatilis obtained sufficient nutrition from Prorocentrum donghaiense to support net population increase. With exposure to 2.5×10⁴ cells mL⁻¹ of P. donghaiense, the number of B. plicatilis increased faster than it did when exposed to other four algal densities (5, 10, 15 and 20 ×10⁴ cells mL⁻¹), and the increase rate of B. plicatilis population (r) at this algal density was 0.104 ± 0.015 rd⁻¹. Cell densities of P. donghaiense decreased due to the grazing of B. plicatilis. In contrast, Heterosigma akashiwo had an adverse effect on B. plicatilis population and its growth was largely unaffected by rotifer grazing. In this case, B. plicatilis population decreased and H. akashiwo grew at a rate similar to that of the control.     

Effects of fishes on the growth and survival of Chinese mitten crab,Eriocheir sinensis

This experiment on the effects of fishes (Pelteobagrus fulvidraco, Channa argus, Cyprinus carpio) on growth and survival of juvenile Chinese mitten crab,Eriocheir sinensis was conducted in cages placed in Bao'an Lake. T-tests showed that effects of fishes on the carapace width growth were not significant as compared with the control (no fish). But the effects of these fishes on crab survival were negative. The causes of negative effects of fishes on crab survival were simply discussed on the basis of food habits. This research was financially supported by the Department of Agriculture (96-008-02-03), P. R. China, and Chinese Academy of Sciences (Key Project: KZ951-A1-102).     

COMBINED EFFECTS OF TEMPERATURE, IRRADIANCE AND SALINITY ON GROWTH OF DIATOM SKELETONEMA COSTATUM

3-factor experiment was used to study the combined effects of temperature, irradiance and salinity on the growth of an HAB species diatomSkeletonema costatum (Grev.) Cleve. The results showed that temperature (12, 19, 25, 32 °C), irradiance (0.02, 0.08, 0.3, 1.6)×10¹⁶ quanta/(s·cm²)) and salinity (10, 18, 25, 30, 35) significantly influenced the growth of this species. There were interactive effects between any two of and among all three physical factors on the growth. In the experiment, the most optimal growth condition forS. costatum was temperature of 25°C, salinity of 18–35 and irradiance of 1.6×10¹⁶ quanta/(s·cm²). The results indicatedS. costatum could divide at higher rate and were more likely to bloom under high temperature and high illumination from spring to fall. It was able to distribute widely in ocean and estuary due to its adaptation to a wide range of salinities. This study was supported by the PREPP and National Key Basic Research Project (2001CB4097) NNSFC No. 39950001, 20177023, 49576301, 49906007 and KZCX2-206.     

Forms and Balance of Nitrogen and Phosphorus in Cage Culture Waters in Guangdong Province, China

In order to approach the characteristics of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution caused by cage culture and the balance of nitrogen and phosphorus during the process of cage culture, a monitoring was conducted in Daya Bay of Guangdong Province, China from April 2002 to Jane 2003. The results show that the concentrations of total nitrogen (TN) in the waters at the sites with five and ten years of cage culture history are 1.8 and 2.3 times of that at control site respectively. Ammonium (NH3-N) is the main form of nitrogen in spring while nitrate ( NO3 -) in winter. The concentrations of TN, total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) are highest in autumn. The concentration of phosphorus increases with the increasing of the culturing time, among which phosphate ( PO 34-) increases most obviously. The concentrations of total phosphorus (TP) and total dissolved phosphorus (TDP) are highest in autumn. The nitrogen and phosphorus are accumulated significantly in the sediment of cage culture area. The model of N balance in the cage culture area: bait (70.62%) fry (0.28%) input by tide (14.8%) release from sediment (14.3%) = harvest of adult fish (12.07%) deposition into sediment (28.75%) output by tide (56.18%) others (3.00%). The model of P balance: bait (83.11%) fry (0.17%) input by tide (12.23%) release from sediment (4.49%) = harvest of adult fish (8.43%) deposition into sediment (48.59%) output by tide (41.94%) others (1.04%). In one fish growth year, the contents of nitrogen and phosphorus in harvest of adult fish are only 17.0% and 10.1% of the contents of nitrogen and phosphorus in fish bait and fry, wherein 83% of nitrogen and more than 89% of phosphorus in fish bait became marine pollutants.     

Effects of heavy metals （Pb^2＋ and Cd^2＋） on the ultrastructure, growth and pigment contents of the unicellular cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

The unicellular cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, a model organism known for its unique combination of highly desirable molecular genetic, physiological and morphological characteristics, was employed in the present study. The species was cultured in BG11 liquid medium contained various initial concentrations of Pb²⁺ and Cd²⁺ (0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8 mg/L). The experiment was conducted for six days and the metal induced alterations in the ultrastructure, growth and pigment contents were assessed. Alterations in the ultrastructure of the Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 cells became evident with the increased (>4 mg/L Pb²⁺) metal concentration. The photosynthetic apparatus (thylakoid membranes) were found to be the worst affected. Deteriorated or completely destroyed thylakoid membranes have made large empty spaces in the cell interior. In addition, at the highest concentration (8 mg/L Pb²⁺), the polyphosphate granules became more prominent both in size and number. Despite the initial slight stimulations (0.2, 3.8 and 6.5% respectively at 0.5, 1 and 2 mg/L Pb²⁺), both metals inhibited the growth in a dose-dependent manner as incubation progressed. Pigment contents (chlorophyll α, β carotene and phycocyanin) were also decreased with increasing metal concentration. Cells exposed to 6 mg/L Pb²⁺, resulted in 36.56, 37.39 and 29.34% reductions of chlorophyll α, β carotene and phycocyanin respectively over the control. Corresponding reductions for the same Cd²⁺concentrations were 57.83, 48.94 and 56.90%. Lethal concentration (96 h LC₅₀) values (3.47 mg/L Cd²⁺ and 12.11 mg/L Pb²⁺) indicated that Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 is more vulnerable to Cd²⁺ than Pb²⁺. Supported by the Chinese Scholarship Council     

The effect of temperature on growth and energy budget of the polychaete, Neanthes japonica Izuka

Growth and energy budget of the polychaete, Neanthes japonica, at various temperatures (17, 20, 23, 26 and 29°) were investigated in this study. The growth, as indicated by final dry weight and specific growth rate (SGR), increased with increasing temperature, with the maximum level at 26°C, and then decreased significantly at 29°C. A similar trend was observed in feeding rate, food conversion efficiency (FCE) and apparent digestive rate (ADR). However, no significant differences were detected in ADR among all the temperature treatments. In the pattern of energy allocation, faeces energy was only a small component of energy budget and had little influence on the proportion of food energy allocated to growth. The metabolic energy accounted for a large portion of energy intake for each temperature treatment. The nitrogen excretion was appreciable with changing temperature. The two expenditure terms (respiration energy and excretion energy) in energy budget were the major factors influencing the proportion of food energy allocated to growth. These results revealed that temperature affected the growth of N. japonica mainly by influencing feeding rate and FCE. In addition, regression equations describing the relationship between feeding rate, faecal production, SGR, FCE and temperature were obtained. The optimum temperatures for feeding rate, FCE and SGR were estimated at 25.01°C, 24.24°C and 24.73°C, respectively, from the regression equations.     

The influence of Fe^2＋ on growth and development of cells enzymatically isolated from Porphyra yezoensis blades

Fe^2＋ acted as an accessorial factor for many cellular enzymatic reactions is very important for seaweed growth and development, but the Fe^2＋ requirement in nori had not been seen. Porphyra yezoensis cells were separated enzymatically and cultured in a series of sterilized seawater media containing various concentrations of Fe^2＋. The growth development and cell were investigated in this work. Through this experiment, two biologically-meant concentration scales were found, one is low concentrations, 12.1-102.1μg/L, 10-100 times than that in seawater, favoring the development of isolated cells of Porphyra and the other was high concentrations, more than 10mg/L inhibiting the cell growth, leading to the deformity and shrinkage of the cells. At the concentration of 50 mg/L, the cells stopped growing and died eventually.     

Acute Toxicity of Formalin to the Red-tide Dinoflageilate Prorocentrum minimum Schiller （Protozoa, Mastigophora）

The acute toxic levels of formalin to a marine red-tide dinoflagellate Prorocentrum minimum Schiller (Mastigophora, Dinoflagellida) were determined by linear regression analysis. The data obtained revealed that there is a close regression relationship between logarithmic concentrations of formalin and mortality probit scales of the organism when exposure times are 1, 2, 6, 12, 24 h. The median lethal concentrations (LC50 values) obtained from correlation analysis for these exposure times (with 95% confidence intervals), were 11.83, 6.76, 4.37, 4.27 and 3.98mgL^-1 respectively. A toxicity curve was obtained to connect the exposure time and LC50 value from the correlation between them. The results indicated that P. minimum could be killed or fixed by formalin in the concentration range of 4-12mgL^-1 within 1-24h.     

Effects of salinity, light and temperature on growth rates of two species of Gracilaria （Rhodophyta）

Effects of temperature, salinity and light intensity on growth rates of Gracilaria lichenoides and G. tenuistipitata var. liui Zhang et Xia were tested. Eight to ten levels of each factor were first tested separately. The best growth rate was obtained under the conditions of 32°C, 30 and 240 μmol/(m²·s) for G. lichenoides, and 24°C, 20 and 200 μmol/(m²·s) for G. tenuistipitata, respectively. Then a uniform design was used to evaluate the optimal combinations of the three factors. The best conditions for the highest daily specific growth rates (% increase in wet weight) are determined to be 31.30°C, 32.10, and 287.23 μmol/(m²·s) for G. lichenoides (16.26%/d), and 25.38°C, 21.10, and 229.07 μmol/(m²·s) for G. tenuistipitata (14.83%/d), respectively. Supported by the 908 Special Program (908-02-04-07), the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program, No. 2006CB400608), and K. C. Wong Magna Fund in Ningbo University     

The effects of recombinant eel growth hormone,methyltestosterone and L-thyroxine on the growth of red sea bream,Pagrosomus major

the effects of recombinant eel growth hormone (reGH), methyltestosterone (MT) and L-thyroxine (T4) on the growth of red sea bream,Pagrosomus major, were investigated. Administration of reGH to fry by immersion at 2 mg/1 for 2 h every 5 days resulted in significant increase in both weight and length, but the condition factor (CF) diminished relative to that of similarly treated controls over the 37 day treatment period. Immersion in 0.1 mg/l T4 also resulted in significant increase in both weight and length and higher survival rate of test fry compared to the controls. Immersion in MT had less effect on growth and high-dose resulted in high mortality. In the second study, injection of 2 μg reGH/(g·wk) caused a significant increase in the specific growth rate (SGR) of test red sea bream fingerlings relative to that of the controls during the 4—week treatment period and maintained the increasing trend over the post-treatment period (weeks 4–6). Injection of MT at a dosage of 1μg/(g·wk) resulted in a significant increase in SGR during the 4—week treatment period. Intramuscular injection of 0.1 μg T4/(g·wk) also resulted in a significant increase in weight. Injection of high-doses of MT and T4 inhibited growth and resulted in darkening skin, bulging eyes and thinning body. In muscle chemical composition, the treated groups had no significant differences compared to the controls, but the high-dose MT and T4 groups showed significant increases in lipid content. Potential practical methods for hormone application in fish culture are discussed.     

Effects of ambient DIN:DIP ratio on the nitrogen uptake of harmful dinoflagellate Prorocentrum minimum and Prorocentrum donghaiense in turbidistat

The effects of varying nitrogen (N): phosphorus (P) ratios on the growth and N-uptake and assimilation of the harmful dinoflagellates Prorocentrum minimum and Prorocentrum donghaiense were examined in turbidistat culture experiments. Algal cultures were supplied with media containing PO34? in various concentrations to obtain a wide range of N:P ratios. Experiments to determine rates of N uptake and assimilation of different N sources (NO3?, NH4+, urea and glycine by P. minimum and NO3?, NH4+ by P. donghaiense) were conducted using 15N tracer techniques at each N:P ratio. The growth rates suggested nutrient limitation at both high and low N:P ratios relative to the Redfield ratio. On a diel basis, the growth of both species was regulated by the light-dark cycle, which may be a result of regulation of both light- dependent growth and light-independent nutrient uptake. Maximum growth rates of both species always occurred at the beginning of light phase. In P-rich medium (low N:P ratio), both species had higher N assimilation rates, suggesting N limitation. Low assimilation coefficients at high N:P ratios suggested P limitation of N uptake and assimilation. NO3? and NH4+ contributed more than 90% of the total N uptake of P. minimum. Reduced N sources were more quickly assimilated than NO3?. Highest average daily growth rates were recorded near an N:P ratio of 12 for both species. The N uptake rates of cultures at N:P ratios near Redfield ratio were more balanced with growth rates. The linkage between growth rates and N uptake/assimilation rates were conceptually described by the variation of cell N quota. The N:P ratios affect the N uptake and growth of Prorocentrum spp., and may regulate their bloom progression in eutrophic ecosystems.     

Effects of Na+/K+ ratio of groundwaters on the gill ion-transport enzyme activity, plasma osmolality and growth of Cynoglossus semilaevis juveniles

The effects of environmental Na⁺/K⁺ ratio on the gill ion-transport enzyme activity, plasma osmolality and growth of Cynoglossus semilaevis juveniles were investigated. The results showed that, plasma osmolality was similar among flounder adapted to different Na⁺/K⁺ ratios of saline groundwaters (P>0.05), while the growth, gill Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase and HCO₃ ⁻-ATPase activities were affected by Na⁺/K⁺ ratio significantly (P<0.05). The gill Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase activity reached its maximum on day 3, then decreased gradually from day 3 to day 9 and remained constant from day 9 to day 15. The peak values of gill Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase activity were detected on day 3 for all Na⁺/K⁺ ratios of saline groundwaters, then the enzyme activities descended, and on day 9 the enzyme activities achieved steady state, and the gill HCO₃ ⁻-ATPase activity increased rapidly and achieved steady state after one day. During steady state, the gill Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase and HCO₃ ⁻-ATPase activity of Na⁺/K⁺ ratios 20 and 40 treatments were significantly higher than those in the control group (Na⁺/K⁺ ratio 27.5), while there were no significant differences between the Na⁺/K⁺ ratio 30 treatment and the control group; the gill Na⁺, K⁺-ATPase activity of Na⁺/K⁺ ratio 20 and 40 treatments were significantly higher than that for ratio 30 treatment, but there were no significant differences of gill HCO₃ ⁻-ATPase activity among these treatments. At the end of the 15-day experiment, the weight gain (%) and specific growth rate (SGR) of flounders maintained in seawater were significantly higher than those in groundwaters; significant differences also occurred among the treatments; Na⁺/K⁺ ratio 30 treatment had the highest values (33.7% and 1.94 respectively), which were significantly higher than those under Na⁺/K⁺ ratios 20 and 40 treatments. Therefore, for the saline groundwater used in this experiment, it is suggested that the Na⁺/K⁺ ratio be adjusted to approximately 30, i.e., as close to that of natural seawater as possible in the culture of flounder.     

Bioaccumulation of Pb<Superscript>2+</Superscript> and its effects on growth,morphology and pigment contents of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Spirulina</Emphasis> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Arthrospira</Emphasis>) <Emphasis Type="Italic">platensis</Emphasis>

A laboratory experiment was conducted to assess the bioaccumulation of Pb²⁺ and its effects on growth, morphology and pigment contents of Spirulina (Arthrospira) platensis. The specimen cultured in Zarrouk liquid medium was treated with various initial metal concentrations (0, 5, 10, 30, 50 and 100 μg mL⁻¹). The growth of S. platensis was adversely affected by Pb²⁺ at high concentrations (30, 50 and 100 μg mL⁻¹). However, at low concentrations (5 μg mL⁻¹), Pb²⁺ could stimulate its growth slightly. The pigment contents (chlorophyll α and β carotene) were decreased in a dose-dependent manner. The highest reductions (67% and 53% respectively in chlorophyll α and β carotene) were observed in 100 μg mL⁻¹ treatment group. The LC₅₀ (96 h) of Pb²⁺ was measured as 75.34 μg mL⁻¹. Apart from a few cases of filament breakages at elevated concentrations (50 and 100 μg mL⁻¹), morphological abnormalities are not specific. Metal bioaccumulation increased with Pb²⁺ concentrations, but decreased with exposure time. The maximum accumulated amount was 188 mg g⁻¹ dry weight. The bioconcentration factor (BCF) reached to a peak at day 2, followed by a gradual reduction for all the exposure concentrations. S. platensis is able to tolerate considerably high Pb²⁺ concentrations. Consequently it can be used as a potential species to remove heavy metal from contaminated waters.     

Disease resistance and humoral immunomodulatory effects of vitamin C on grouper,Epinephelus awoara

The disease resistance and humoral immunomodulatory effects of vitamin C administered orally to grouper,Epinephelus awoara maintained on a frozen fish diet supplemented with vitamin C at 500, 1000, 1500 and 2000 mg/kg were investigated. After 20 weeks, the growth rates of the groups with high level of vitamin C apparently increased. The untreated fish had symptoms of vitamin C deficiency. The endogenous liver tissue vitamin C levels were found to reflect well the dietary treatments. After intraperitoneal injection or bath challenge with a virulent strain ofVibrio vulnificus, fish fed with high level vitamin C showed significantly higher survival rate compared with the normal control group. Vaccination with formalin inactivatedV. vulnificus significantly enhanced the specific antibody production in fish treated with vitamin C, and completely protected from strong bacterial challenge the groups fed on fish with vitamin C 1500 and 2000 mg/kg diet. Project 39500113 supported by NSFC and also by Guangdong Science Research Foundation (Grant No. 950711).     

Effect of ration, temperature and body weight on growth of black porgy,Sparus macrocephalus (B.)

Growth of black porgy,Sparus macrocephalus, was studied experimentally at four ration levels from starvation to satiation and four temperatures ranging from 14.8 to 26.8°C. At maximum rations, the specific growth rate (SGR) increased with temperature and was a negative linear function of body weight. The relationship between SGR and ration levels was a decelerating curve. Stepwise regression was used to develop the predictive models for the specific growth rates. Maintenance rations and optimum rations both increased with increased temperature. The relationship between maintenance, optimum rations and body weight was influenced by temperature. Conversion efficiencies increased with ration from zero at maintenance ration to a peak at the optimum ration, then declined with further increased ration. Contribution No. 3127 from the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Project 39370542 supported by NSFC and study also supported by National Key Laboratory in the Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.     

Effects of dietary levels of carbohydrate,lipid, phosphorus and zinc on the growth,feed conversion and protein efficiency ratio of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

A 54-day feeding experiment was conducted on juvenile Nile tilapia using isonitrogenous, isocaloric semipurified diets. The carbohydrate content in the diet was 9%, 32% and 50%; the corresponding lipid content was 22.2%, 12%, and 4%. The diets were supplemented with 0.85% or 1.5% phosphorus and 40 mg/kg or 100 mg/kg zinc. The experiment was carried out in flow-through aquaria using dechlorinated tap water at 23–26°C. The experiment showed that the increase of the carbohydrate content in the diets resulted in a 43–249% increase in weight gain, a 27–59% decrease in feed conversion ratio, and a 65–121% increase in protein efficiency ratio. In fish fed diets containing 36–50% carbohydrate, an increase in supplemented phosphorus to 1.5% greatly increased the weight gain. On the contrary, a high content of supplemented zinc (100 mg/kg) inhibited growth and increased feed conversion ratio.