The effect of starvation on growth performance, blood serum metabolites and insulin of Persian sturgeon juvenile, Acipenser persicus (Borodin, 1897) during compensatory growth

In this research the effect of starvation on growth performance, insulin and blood serum metabolites were studied in order to assess compensatory growth mechanism in Persian sturgeon (Acipencer persicus) juveniles with average weight of 108.04± 0.28 gr (± SEM) in the same rearing condition during 8 weeks. This survey was designed in random with 5 treatments in 3 replicates which consist of control group (C, without fasting), 1w (1 week), 2w (2 weeks), 3w (3 weeks) and 4w (4weeks) starvation followed by 4 weeks of re-feeding in satiation. Results revealed that morphological factors including body weight, specific growth rate (SGR), condition factor (CF) and weight gainwere decreased significantly during starvation period.However, growth was increased after re-feedingand weight was compensated in different treatments.In addition, Blood plasma glucose and insulin during fasting and re-feedingdid not change significantly in comparison with the control group. This indicates high performance of this species in themaintenance of blood glucose during starvation and recovery of plasma glucose level after re-feeding. Whereas, plasma total lipid and triglyceride level in fasting treatments were increased. This showed a significant increase in 3w treatment that in 3w treatment(p