%0 Journal Article %J Journal of Applied Ichthyology %D 2015 %T Influence of dietary protein and lipid levels on growth performance and the incidence of cannibalism in Pseudoplatystoma punctifer (Castelnau, 1855) larvae and early juveniles %A Darias, Maria %A Castro-Ruiz, D %A Estivals, G %A Quazuguel, Patrick %A Fernández, C %A Jesus Nuñez-Rodriguez %A Clota, F. %A Gilles, S %A García-Dávila, C %A Gisbert, E. %A Cahu, Chantal L %X

The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of different dietary protein and lipid levels and their ratios on larval growth, survival and the incidence of cannibalism in Pseudoplatystoma punctifer. Larvae were raised in a recirculation system from 3 to 26 days post-fertilization (dpf) (2–25 days post hatching, dph) at an initial density of 40 larvae L−1, 27.8 ± 0.65°C and 0L : 24D photoperiod. Larvae were fed from 4 to 12 dpf with Artemia nauplii and weaned onto four different compound diets from 13 dpf within 3 days, then fed exclusively with these diets until 26 dpf. These diets contained 30 : 15, 30 : 10, 45 : 15 or 45 : 10 protein : lipid (P : L) (in % of dry matter) levels. A control group was fed Artemia nauplii until 17 dpf and weaned thereafter with the 45P : 10L compound diet. The experiment was carried out in triplicate. Results showed higher growth and survival rates and lower incidence of cannibalism in the group fed the 45P : 15L diet than in the other treatments. Differences in larval survival and growth performance were associated with the higher protein and lipid content rather than the protein : lipid ratio of this diet. When comparing diets with the same protein level, the increase in dietary lipid led to an improvement in growth, suggesting that energy from lipids spares protein for growth in P. punctifer fingerlings. An Artemia feeding period longer than 12 dpf did not improve larval growth or survival.

%B Journal of Applied Ichthyology %V 31 %P 74–82 %G eng %U http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jai.12978 %R 10.1111/jai.12978 %0 Journal Article %J Animal %D 2014 %T Histological development of the digestive system of the Amazonian pimelodid catfish Pseudoplatystoma punctifer. %A Gisbert, E %A Moreira, C %A Castro-Ruiz, D %A Oztürk, S %A Fernández, C %A Gilles, S %A Jesus Nuñez-Rodriguez %A Fabrice Duponchelle %A Salvador Tello %A Renno, J F %A García-Dávila, C %A Darias, Maria %X

The organogenesis of the digestive system was described in the Amazonian pimelodid catfish species Pseudoplatystoma punctifer from hatching (3.5 mm total length, TL) to 41 days post-fertilization (dpf) (58.1 mm TL) reared at 28°C. Newly hatched larvae showed a simple digestive tract, which appeared as a straight undifferentiated and unfolded tube lined by a single layer of columnar epithelial cells (future enterocytes). During the endogenous feeding period, comprised between 20 and 96 h post-fertilization (3.5 to 6.1 mm TL), the larval digestive system experienced a fast transformation with the almost complete development and differentiation of most of digestive organs (buccopahrynx, oesophagus, intestine, liver and exocrine pancreas). Yolk reserves were not completely depleted at the onset of exogenous feeding (4 dpf, 6.1 mm TL), and a period of mixed nutrition was observed up to 6 to 7 dpf (6.8 to 7.3 mm TL) when yolk was definitively exhausted. The stomach was the organ that latest achieved its complete differentiation, characterized by the development of abundant gastric glands in the fundic stomach between 10 and 15 dpf (10.9 to 15.8 mm TL) and the formation of the pyloric sphincter at the junction of the pyloric stomach and the anterior intestine at 15 dpf (15.8 mm TL). The above-mentioned morphological and histological features observed suggested the achievement of a digestive system characteristic of P. punctifer juveniles and adults. The ontogeny of the digestive system in P. punctifer followed the same general pattern as in most Siluriform species so far, although some species-specific differences in the timing of differentiation of several digestive structures were noted, which might be related to different reproductive guilds, egg and larval size or even different larval rearing practices. According to present findings on the histological development of the digestive system in P. punctifer, some recommendations regarding the rearing practices of this species are also provided in order to improve the actual larval rearing techniques of this fast-growing Neotropical catfish species.

%B Animal %V 8 %P 1765-76 %8 2014 Nov %G eng %N 11 %1 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25045855?dopt=Abstract %R 10.1017/S1751731114001797 %0 Journal Article %J Animal %D 2014 %T An integrated closed system for fish-plankton aquaculture in Amazonian fresh water. %A Gilles, S %A Ismiño, R %A Sánchez, H %A Frank David %A Jesus Nuñez-Rodriguez %A Dugué, R %A Darias, Maria %A Römer, U %X

A prototype of an integrated closed system for fish-plankton aquaculture was developed in Iquitos (Peruvian Amazonia) in order to cultivate the Tiger Catfish, Pseudoplatystoma punctifer (Castelnau, 1855). This freshwater recirculating system consisted of two linked sewage tanks with an intensive rearing unit (a cage) for P. punctifer placed in the first, and with a fish-plankton trophic chain replacing the filters commonly used in clear water closed systems. Detritivorous and zooplanktivorous fishes (Loricariidae and Cichlidae), maintained without external feeding in the sewage volume, mineralized organic matter and permitted the stabilization of the phytoplankton biomass. Water exchange and organic waste discharge were not necessary. In this paper we describe the processes undertaken to equilibrate this ecosystem: first the elimination of an un-adapted spiny alga, Golenkinia sp., whose proliferation was favored by the presence of a small rotifer, Trichocerca sp., and second the control of this rotifer proliferation via the introduction of two cichlid species, Acaronia nassa Heckel, 1840 and Satanoperca jurupari Heckel, 1840, in the sewage part. This favored some development of the green algae Nannochloris sp. and Chlorella sp. At that time we took the opportunity to begin a 3-month rearing test of P. punctifer. The mean specific growth rate and feed conversion ratio (FCR) of P. punctifer were 1.43 and 1.27, respectively, and the global FCR, including fish in the sewage part, was 1.08. This system has proven to be suitable for growing P. punctifer juveniles out to adult, and provides several practical advantages compared with traditional recirculating clear water systems, which use a combination of mechanical and biological filters and require periodic waste removal, leading to water and organic matter losses.

%B Animal %V 8 %P 1319-28 %8 2014 Aug %G eng %N 8 %R 10.1017/S1751731114001165