7 high as 3 mg L
-1
. Optimal water temperature for growth ranges from 28°-30°C, and pH 5-9 Stickney 1993. Concentration of ammonia must remain less than 1.5
mg L
-1
Harimurti et al. 1995.
2.2.2 Protein and Amino Acid Requirement
Fish need feed with nutritional component which is appropriate to the size and the species. The basic diet for fish must contain sufficient levels of high
quality protein and energy as well as balance essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. Information about nutrient requirement of patin remains scarce, thus
information available for channel catfish are often used.
2.2.2.1 Protein Requirement
Young fish require higher protein level compared to larger fish as their metabolic and growth rate are higher Stickney Lovell 1977. Generally, catfish
species requires protein level ranging 35-45 in its diet NRC 1993. Gaylord and Gatlin 2001 reported that the growth rate of channel catfish increased when they
fed on high protein 37 and high energy diets 3.6 kcal DEg. Protein requirements of channel catfish fry are higher than those of fingerling or adult
fish. Protein levels of 52 and 40 are required for catfish fry and fingerling weighing 0.02 g and 20 g, respectively Robinson et al. 1994.
Based on weight gain, FCR Food Conversion Ratio, PER Protein Efficiency Ratio and ANPU Apparent Net Protein Utilization
11
, Hung 1999 estimates the dietary protein requirement for Pangasius bocourti and P.
hypophthalmus as 16 and 17 g CP kg
-1
fish day
-1
, with an energy supply of 1150 and 900 kJ GE kg
-1
fish day
-1
. For P. bocourti, P. djambal, and P. hypophthalmus, Hung et al. 2004 obtained 90 of the maximal specific growth rate for energy
with a energy supply of 1212, 1084, and 952 kJ GE kg
-1
day
-1
, respectively with a nearly 20 MJ per kg diet. In a study comparing utilization of carbohydrates in P.
bocourti and P. hypophthalmus, growth rate was not affected by gross energy supply as high as 833 kJ GE kg
-1
day
-1
corresponding to a dietary energy content of 20 MJ kg
-1
Hung et al. 2003. For all these studies, feeding rates leading to
1
Similar to the protein retention parameter used in this document
8 higher growth range from 30 to 50 g diet kg
-1
day
-1
with a dietary protein to energy PE ratio from 16 to 20 mg CP kJ
-1
. Protein requirement for other catfishes is given in Table 1.
Table 1. Nutrient requirement of catfishes
Species Requirement
Reference Protein
g kg
-1
PE Ratio mg protein kJ
-1
GE Fat
g kg
-1
Clarias anguillaris 400
Madu and Tsumba 1989 C. batrachus
395 31
Mollah and Hussain 1990
310 24.2-25.8
Rabegnatar and Hidayat 1992
C. gariepinus 400
Degani et al. 1989 500
24 Henken et al. 1986
430 20.5
82.3 Ali and Jauncey 2005
C. isheriensis 370
22 Fagbenro 1992
Heterobranchus bidorsalis
400 25
Kerdcheun 1992 H. longifilis
425 26
Fagbenro et al. 1992 Heteropneustes
fossilis 280-350
Akand et al. 1989 Ictalurus punctatus
320 25
NRC 1993 Satoh et al. 1989
Mystus nemurus 420
27 Khan et al. 1993
291 20,76
63.5 Kurnia 2002
350 29.36
129.1 Suryanti et al. 2003
Pangasius sutchi 250
Chuapoehuk and Pothissong 1985
P. djambal 677
32.55 Suhenda et al. 2004
352 31.75
62.5 Suhenda et al. 2003
P. hypophthalmus 354
28.24 40
Subamia et al. 2003 296
26.46 77
Syamsunarno 2008
mg protein kJDE
2.2.2.2 Amino Acid Requirement