Dietary self-selection in sharpsnout seabream (Diplodus puntazzo) fed paired macronutrient feeds and challenged with protein dilution

Macronutrient selection and responses to dietary protein dilution were investigated in 95-g sharpsnout seabream, an omnivorous fish species of interest for Mediterranean aquaculture. Five groups of 18 sharpsnout seabream were distributed among circular 450-l tanks and allowed to self-feed from 3 feeders each of which distributed feeds composed of different pairs of macronutrients: PC (75% protein, 25% carbohydrate), PF (75% protein, 25% fat) or FC (50% fat, 50% digestible carbohydrate). Regardless of self-feeders position, the fish composed a diet containing 63% protein, 19% fat and 18% carbohydrate. When the protein-containing diets (PC and PF) were diluted 50% with cellulose, the fish increased their food intake to compensate for the energy dilution (170 kJ/kg BW/day vs. 168 kJ/kg BW/day after dilution), and dietary composition (63% protein, 16% fat and 21% carbohydrate) did not change significantly. These results demonstrate that sharpsnout seabream can select from incomplete diets to compose a balanced diet, and the fish are also able to compensate for a dietary dilution to regulate both energy intake and the relative proportions of macronutrients.