Growth, food efficiency, and biochemical compo

Nilnaj Chaitanawisuti, Sirusa Kritsanapun, Wannanee Santhaweesuk, 2011.
Growth, food efficiency, and biochemical composition of juvenile spotted babylon
Babylonia areolata (Link) fed on conventional trash fish and a formulated moist
diet. Aquaculture international. 19(5):865-72.

Abstract
A 120-day feeding trial was conducted to determine growth, feeding efficiency, and
biochemical composition of juvenile spotted babylon Babylonia areolata (initial
mean weight of 1.48 ± 0.06 g) fed on conventional trash fish and a formulated
moist diet in a flow-through grow-out system. The snails readily accepted the
formulated moist diet and showed good growth and survival during the trial. There
were no significant differences in specific growth rate, feeding efficiency, and
survival between the snails fed on trash fish or the formulated moist diet. At the
end of the experiment, biochemical analysis of the snail flesh showed significant
differences in flesh quality, with the snails fed on trash fish having a significantly
higher crude protein compared to those fed on the formulated diet, but there was
little difference in crude lipid content. Whole body tissue of snails fed on trash fish
had significantly higher total amino acid, essential amino acid, and non-essential
amino acid levels compared to those fed the formulated diet. This study showed
that the formulated moist diet can be readily used for B. areolata growout for
maximizing growth, survival, and feeding efficiency; however, further research is
needed to improve the flesh quality particularly amino acid and fatty acid levels
before its suitability for B. areolata is assured.