Requirement of n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids for European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) juveniles: growth and fatty acid composition

European sea bass juveniles (14.4±0.1 g mean weight) were fed diets containing different levels of fish oil then of n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (n-3 HUFA) for 12 weeks. The fish performance as well as fatty acid (FA) composition of neutral and polar lipids from whole body after 7 and 12 weeks feeding were studied. The requirements of juvenile sea bass for n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (n-3 HUFA) were studied by feeding fish diets containing six different levels of n-3 HUFA ranging from 0.2% to 1.9% of the diet, with approximately the same DHA/EPA ratio (1.5:1). The growth rate at the end of the trial showed significant differences. Fish fed low dietary n-3 HUFA (0.2% DM of the diet) showed significantly lower growth than the diet 3 (0.7%), then no further improvement (P>0.05) of growth performance was seen by elevating the n-3 HUFA level in the diet up to 1.9% (diet 6). No difference in feed efficiency, protein efficiency ratio or protein retention was observed among treatments, nor in protein and total lipid content. However, the n-3 HUFA levels in diets highly influenced fish fatty acid composition in neutral lipid, while polar lipid composition was less affected. Comparison of polar lipid content after 7 or 12 weeks indicated that DHA remained stable at the requirement level, while arachidonic acid decreased with time. Results of this experiment suggest that the requirement for growth of n-3 HUFA of juvenile sea bass of 14 g weight is at least 0.7% of the dry diet.