Effects of dietary conjugated linoleic acids on the growth and quality of large yellow croaker fish Pseudosciaena crocea (Richardson) in cages.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) in artificial feeds on the growth and quality of large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea) raised in cages. Two diet formulas with dietary CLA were developed, and a diet without of CLA served as a control. The effects of CLA (2% and 4%) on average daily gain per tail (DGT), feed conversion ratio (FCR), muscle lipid, and lean body mass (LBM) for a 60-day period were evaluated. The results from two independent experiments revealed that diets with 4% CLA significantly improved DGT and FCR (p<0.05). Muscle lipid significantly reduced as increase of CLA content in diets (p<0.01), correspondingly, the LBM significantly increased (p<0.05). This study demonstrates that CLA supplemental diet could be used to improve growth and quality of large yellow croaker raised in cages.