ARGININE AND THREONINE REQUIREMENTS OF MILKFISH (CHANOS-CHANOS FORSSKAL) JUVENILES

Growth studies were conducted with milkfish (Chanos chanos Forsskal) juveniles to determine the quantitative requirements for arginine and threonine. The amino-acid test diets (40% crude protein) contained casein and gelatin supplemented with crystalline L-amino acids to provide an amino-acid profile similar to milkfish protein except for the test amino acid. Each set of experimental diets consisted of six isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets containing graded levels of the essential amino acid to be tested. Break-points in the growth curves which represent the optimum dietary concentration of arginine and threonine for fish growth were determined by the broken-line regression method. Based on dry diet, the requirement of milkfish juveniles for arginine is 2.10% and for threonine, 1.80%. These values correspond to 5.25% arginine and 4.50% threonine when expressed as a percentage of dietary protein.