Abstract
The effect of various dietary protein levels on growth and body composition of young common carp raised from 56 g to 170 g in recirculating system was investigated for 15 weeks when they were fed to visual satiety three times daily. Five experiemtal diets were formulated to contain 40, 35, 30, 25 and 21% protein levels and 3.56, 3.59. 3.63, 3.66 and 3.69 kcal/g diet GE levels respectively. Mean survival rates of the fish fed the 40, 35, 30 and 25% protein diets were not different but sig-nificantly higher than that of the fish fed the 40, 35, 30 and 25% protein diets were not different but sig-nificantly higher than that of o the fish fed the 21% protein diet(P<0.05) Weight gain (g/tank) of common carp fed the 30% protein diet was the best. However weight gain of the fish fed the 25, 30, 35 and 40% protein diets were not different but significantly better than that of the fish fed the 21% protein diet. Feed efficiency ratio of the 21% protein diet was significantly lower (P<0.05) than for other groups of diets which were not different among them. Protein efficiency ratio for the 21% protein diet was significantly lower (P<0.05) than for other groups of diets which were not different among them(P>0.05) Dietary protein level had no effect on hemoglobin content in the fish(P>0.05) Crude protein contents of whole body of the fish fed the 35 and 40% protein diets were significantly higher than that of the fish fed the 21$$\mid$% or 25% protein diet(P<0.05) Body crude lipid contents of the fish fed the 21 and 25% protein diets were significantly higher than that of the fish fed the 30% or 35% protein diet. Crude ash contents of the fish fed the 35 and 40% protein diets were significantly higher than that of the fish fed the 21% or 25% protein diet(P<0.05) Moisture content of the fish fed the 35% protein diet was significantly higher than that of the fish fed the 21% protein diet(P<0.05) In considering growth performance of common carp and efficiency of diet dietary protein level could be lowered up to 25% without the reduction of young common carp production in recirculating system.