Effects of dietary corn gluten levels on growth, and digestion in juvenile sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus).

A feeding trial was carried out to evaluate the effects of dietary corn gluten levels on growth,digestion and proximate composition in juvenile sea cucumber(Apostichopus japonicus).Juvenile sea cucumber weighing 8.56 g in body weight was stocked into 20 plastic tanks of each 50 cm× 40 cm × 30 cm and fed the 12.0%,15.0%,18.0%,21.0% or 24.0% crude protein and 5.0% crude fat diets containing 11.5%(F1),16.1%(F2),20.8%(F3),25.7%(F4) or 30.7%(F5)of corn gluten at water temperature of 12.0～16.0℃ for 60 days.It was found that the special growth rate(SGR) of the juveniles fed the diets containing various levels of corn gluten meal decreased with the increase in corn gluten levels while the survival rate was kept at 100%.The juveniles fed the diets containing 11.5%(F1),16.1%(F2),and 20.8%(F3)of corn gluten had significantly higher SGR than those fed the diets containing 25.7%(F4) and 30.7%(F5)of corn gluten(P0.05).Digestibility of dietary protein by the juveniles fed the experimental diets decreased with the increase in dietary corn gluten levels while there was no significant difference between intestinal protease and lipase activities(P0.05).Amylase activity,however,decreased in the intestine of the juveniles fed the diets containing corn gluten levels more than 20.8%.There were no significant differences in the protein,fat,ash contents and moisture in the juveniles fed the experimental diets(P0.05).