Effects of dietary sodium citrate on growth performance, body composition and digestive enzymes activity of yellowfin seabream (Acanthopagrus latus) fingerling

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of supplementing organic acid salt on the growth performance, body composition and digestive enzymes activity of yellowfin seabream (Acanthopagrus latus) fingerling fed diets, including low fish meal. Fish with an initial mean weight of 6.5±0.2 g were divided into a control and two treatments, with 10 fish in each replicate, and fed the following supplemented diets for 8 weeks: Control diet, 5 g/kg diet sodium citrate (SC5) and 10 g/kg diet sodium citrate (SC10). At the end of the experiment, the growth performance indices, including mean final weight, weight gain and specific growth rate of fingerlings fed diets containing sodium citrate were significantly higher than control (P<0.05). The crude protein and crude fat of fish in the group fed diet containing 5 g/kg of sodium citrate was slightly higher than other groups, however, that these differences were not significant (P>0.05). The specific activity of total protease in fish fed diets containing sodium citrate (5 and 10 g / kg diet) was significantly higher than that of the control group (P<0.05). The activity of lipase and amylase enzymes was also increasing by rising sodium citrate, but this increase was not significant (P>0.05). These results indicated that 5 g/kg diet sodium citrate improved growth, enhanced digestive enzymes activity capacities of A. latus fingerling, and may be a potential feed additive for this fish.