Estrategia de alimentación de alevines-juveniles para la acuicultura dedos especies (Prochilodus lineatus y Australoheros facetus) del río Paraná, Argentina

Abstract

Aquaculture is expanding worldwide; however, culture protocols remain limited to a small number of species. Prochilodus lineatus, the most heavily harvested fish in Argentine rivers, is currently threatened by overexploitation, while Australoheros facetus is an environmental bioindicator also used in the aquarium trade, laboratory research, and as live bait. This study evaluated feeding strategies during the early culture stages of both species. In Trial I, P. lineatus fingerlings (4 g initial weight) were assigned to three replicated treatments: commercial feed containing 20% or 30% crude protein and an unsupplemented control. All ponds were fertilized with poultry litter. In Trial II, A. facetus fingerlings (1.8 g initial biomass per aquarium) were fed three experimental diets containing different proportions of powdered egg, powdered milk, and soybean meal, providing 45%, 48%, and 50% crude protein. For P. lineatus, the 30% crude protein diet produced the lowest Relative Growth Factor but the highest Biomass Increase, which was more than twice that of the control. Pond fertilization promoted the development of phytoplankton, zooplankton, and benthic organisms, providing an additional natural food source. For A. facetus, the highest growth performance was obtained with diet AF1. The dietary combinations provided adequate protein and lipid levels to support fingerling growth in both species. These findings highlight feeding strategy as a critical factor during the fingerling and juvenile stages. The integration of supplementary diets with natural food production may improve growth performance and contribute to the successful culture and sustainable management of these species.