Impact of short-term stunting on growth and biochemical composition of snubnose pompano Trachinotus blochii (Lacepede 1801)

The impact of stunting on growth and carcass composition of snubnose pompano Trachinotus blochii (Lacepede, 1801) was investigated. During the stunting phase (30 days), three tanks were stocked with 60 fish each and fed at 3% of body weight (BW) for stunting. Another set of three tanks were stocked at 20 fish per tank and fed at 10% of BW, which served as normal control. The stunted fish had lower final body weight (4.46±0.18 g) than the normal fish (5.4±0.23 g) with a lower specific growth rate (%) per day (SGR), lower (p<0.05) crude lipid in carcass, higher hepatosomatic index (%) (HSI) and total protein in the liver. During post-stunting phase (30 days), stunted fish were restocked at 20 fish per tank and fed at 15% of body weight. Final length and weight of post-stunted fish increased; but with a lower SGR indicating partial compensatory growth (CG). Crude carcass lipid, crude liver protein and HSI were significantly (p<0.05) reduced during the post-stunting period. The findings of the study suggest a protein sparing trend in fish, wherein lipids stored in body and liver were utilised during the stunting phase, while both body lipid and liver protein reserves were mobilised during the CG.