Dietary calcium requirement of giant croaker Nibea japonica

The requirement for dietary calcium (Ca) of giant croaker Nibea japonica wa s investigated by feeding them with purified diets containing different lev els of Ca for 10 weeks at temperatures of 23.0-25.5 degrees C. The rearing water used contained 400 mg Call. Dietary Ca levels were found to affect gr eatly the growth and feed utilization. Ca contents of vertebrae mere indepe ndent of dietary Ca supplements. The results indicated that a minimum Ca le vel of 0.10% of the dry diet was required to maintain the normal growth and feed utilization of juvenile giant croaker.