EFFECTS OF PARTIAL REPLACEMENT OF FISH OIL WITH DIFFERENT VEGETABLE OILS ON GROWTH, FEED UTILISATION AND FATTY ACID PROFILE OF HYBRID GROUPER JUVENILE (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus ♀ x Epinephelus lanceolatus ♂)

This study was done to investigate the effects of fish oil (FO) replacement with different types vegetable oils (VO) on the growth performance, feed utilisation and fatty acid profile of hybrid grouper juvenile (Ephinephelus fuscoguttatus, female) x giant grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus, male). Six isoprotein (50%) and isolipid (12%) diets were formulated using 100% FO (as the control) and 50% of FO was replaced with crude palm oil (CPO), refined, bleached and deodourised (RBD) palm olein (POo), crude palm kernel oil (CPKO), corn oil (CO) and coconut oil (COCO). Triplicate groups of hybrid grouper juvenile (11.12 +/- 0.04 g) were fed with the experimental diets for a period of 12 weeks. Fish fed with RBD POo diet showed significantly higher growth and slightly better feed efficiency than other diets. The different VO affected the body indices, whole body proximate composition and fatty acid profile of the muscle and liver. However, the survival of fish was not affected by the different diets. Present study suggests that RBD POo is the most suitable VO for hybrid grouper.