Milkfish - Nutritional requirements

The nutrient requirements of milkfish are shown in Table 2. Fry and juveniles require 40 percent and 30–40 percent dietary protein, respectively. Milkfish fingerlings or juveniles grow best when fed diets containing 7–10 percent lipid, 1.0–1.5 percent n3 fatty acids, 25 percent carbohydrate, 10.4–14.7 kJ/g diet, and protein energy to total metabolizable energy ratio of 44.4 percent. In ponds where natural food is present, the diet for milkfish juveniles may contain protein levels of 24–27 percent (Sumagaysay and Borlongan, 1995; Sumagaysay et al., 1991). In intensive ponds, marine cages and pens where there is little contribution from natural food milkfish require 30 percent or more protein and a lipid level of not less than 7 percent. Juvenile milkfish have a phosphorus requirement of 0.85 percent of dry diet (Borlongan and Satoh, 2001). Vitamin requirements of juvenile milkfish are not known. Broodstock require 1 000 mg Vit C/kg feed for good egg and larval quality.