A preliminary study on growth and protein synthesis of juvenile barramundi, Lates calcarifer at different temperatures

Temperature is recognized to be the most important environmental factor affecting growth and protein synthesis in fish. The optimal temperature for growth of juvenile barramundi is 31 °C, although culture often occurs at temperatures which are above and below this optimum. Juveniles (2.96 ± 0.46 g) were held at five different temperatures ranging from 21 to 33 °C at 3 °C intervals. Fish were fed to satiation twice daily (504.5 g kg− 1 crude protein, 190.5 g kg− 1 lipid, 128.5 g kg− 1 ash, and 20.2 GE MJ kg− 1). Daily feed intake (g), growth (% d− 1), growth efficiency, and protein synthesis (measured 24 h after feeding) were determined for each temperature. Feed intake was significantly higher at 33 °C, than at any other temperature. Growth and growth efficiency were not significantly different between the 27, 30 and 33 °C groups but were significantly higher than the 21 and 24 °C groups. In order to take account of the variation in protein synthesis over the 24 h following feeding and model daily protein turnover, daily rates of protein synthesis were estimated from previously determined relationships between white muscle and whole body rates of protein synthesis. This showed that protein synthesis was not significantly different between 27 and 33 °C, synthesis retention efficiency was over 40% at these temperatures, and at 21 °C growth efficiency was poor. Growth efficiency and protein metabolism were optimal over a temperature from 27 to 33 °C.