Amino acid composition of Brazilian surubim fish (Pseudoplatystoma coruscans) fed diets with different levels and sources of fat

Surubim (Pseudoplatystoma coruscans) is a river fish from the Brazilian São Francisco basin which presents a great potential for commercialization. The amino acid composition of carcasses of surubim fed isoproteic diets with variable levels and sources of fat were determined. The increase of soybean oil at levels of 4%, 8% and 12% in the rations promoted a corresponding increase in nitrogen fixation in the fish carcass, reflected by higher amino acid contents. However, the application of 12% added amounts of pig lard, corn oil, linseed oil or soybean oil, as different sources of fat, did not promote much variation in the fish amino acid fixation. The determination of the essential amino acid composition in the fish carcasses and the A/E ratios of individual amino acids provided a pattern of amino acid requirements of surubim fish.