The aim of this experiment was to evaluate dietary protein requirements of freshwater angelfish fry. A complete randomized design with four dietary crude protein levels (34, 38, 42, and 46% of CP) and four replicates was used. Fish averaging 0.44±0.05 g were reared in sixteen 25L-aquarium with aeration, biological filter and controlled temperature (26 ± 0.5°C), in a stocking density of six fish/aquarium. Fish were fed ad libitum at 8:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m, and 5:00 p.m, during 60 days. Final weight, weight gain, feed intake, feed:gain ratio, specific growth rate and protein efficiency ratio (PER) were the evaluated parameters of productive performance. At the end of the experiment, no treatment effect on productive performance, with the exception of PER was observed. Fishes fed diets with 46% CP showed PER significant smaller than those fed diets with 34 and 38% of CP. PER of fish fed diets with 42% of CP did not differ from the other treatments. Diets with 34% of CP can meet the protein nutritional requirements of freshwater angelfish fry.
growth; nutritional requirements; ornamental fish, productive performance; Pterophyllum scalare
