Effect of Varying Protein and Lipid Levels on the Growth of Medium Carp, Puntius gonionotus

A 60 days feeding trial was conducted to evaluate varying levels of dietary protein and lipid on growth of medium carp (Puntius gonionotus) fry (avg. wt. 2.11 g). Nine purified diets having 25% (low protein; LP), 30% (medium protein; MP) and 35% (high protein; HP) protein, and 6% (low lipid; LL), each with either 8% (medium lipid; ML) or 10% (high lipid; HL) lipid were prepared. The net weight gain, feed conversion ratio, specific growth rate and survival rate did not differ significantly among the treatments, but protein efficiency ratio (PER) differed among the treatments. The PER was significantly (P < 0.01) higher in LPLL diet and it did not differ significantly with MPML diet. The carcass composition of medium carp was significantly influenced by different levels of protein and lipid. Carcass protein and lipid contents were significantly (P < 0.01) higher in HPHL diet but it did not differ with MPML. It may be concluded that MPML having a combination of 30% protein and 8% lipid was optimum for medium carp.