The effect of dietary protein-energy levels on growth and metabolism of milkfish (Chanos chanos Forsskal)

Groups of milkfish juveniles (mean weight, 2.8 g) were fed diets containing white fishmeal and gelatin with varying protein-energy to total metabolizable energy (PE:TME) ratios.Amino acids were incorporated in the diets to stimulate the pattern of milkfish protein. The control diet contained fishmeal as sole protein source and was not supplemented with amino acidsAmong the amino acid supplemented diets, best growth was observed at PE:TME ratio of 44.4%. However, the control diet gave better growth rate than any of the amino acid supplemented dietsSpecific activities of pyruvate kinase (PK) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) increased significantly with increase in dietary protein-energy level.