Efeito da temperatura da água sobre o desempenho, composição corporal e utilização do alimento em juvenis de curimba Prochilodus lineatus (Valenciennes, 1836).

Abstract

The northern Brazil has improved production of native fish, and curimba, the Prochilodus genus, is one of the main fisheries resources and has great acceptance by market. Increased aquaculture production can contribute to reducing overfishing. With regard to the environment, a major abiotic factors affecting the commercial viability production is the water temperature, considering that this factor can change the metabolism of nutrients, the meat composition and animal physiology, with consequences on performance, production cycle and availability of fish to consumers. The species is found in the Amazon basin, the Orinoco, the Guianas, San Francisco, Paraná-Paraguay, River Plate and Paraiba do Sul, so because of this wide distribution, information on the effect of temperature can help understand the proper limits for species cultivation. This study aimed to evaluate the performance, body composition and use of nutrients and energy from food by P. lineatus juvenile submitted to four water temperatures. The animals were exposed to temperatures of 22, 25, 28 and 31° C for a period of 60 days. At the end of the experiment, there was no influence of temperature on feed conversion, condition factor, survival, lipid retention rate and lipid gain. The highest final body weight, total length, weight gain, specific growth rate and feed consumption was at 31°C. The moisture content was higher in low temperatures (22 and 25ºC) and lipid and energy at high temperatures (28 and 31ºC). Energy, lipid and protein efficiency rate were superior at lower temperature (22ºC). Protein retention and protein gain were higher at 28 and 31ºC. Energy retention and energy gain were superior at low temperatures (22 e 25ºC). Thus, we can conclude that the temperature affect the performance of curimba juvenile and such effect could be observed in the use and deposition of nutrients and energy from food to fish body. Further, for a better species development it is recommended temperatures between 28 and 31ºC.