Requirement of tiger puffer Takifugu rubripes for dietary iron

Two experiments were conducted to determine the dietary iron (Fe) requireme nt of tiger puffer at a water temperature of 19-29.5 degreesC. In experimen t I, the fish with average body weight of 2.5g were fed the purified diets with and without Fe supplement for 12 weeks. Growth, Ht value and Hb conten t were significantly low in fish fed the diet without Fe supplement. Reduce d values of Fe contents of plasma and vertebrae were also observed iii fish fed the Fe-unsupplemented diet. On the other hand, unsaturated iron bindin g capacity (UIBC) of plasma Nas higher in fish fed the Fe-unsupplemented di et. In experiment II, the fish averaging 10.9g ere fed the five diets with different levels of Fe (55, 92, 140, 197 and 263mg/kg diet) for 13 weeks. N o substantial effect on growth performance was observed in all the groups f ed the diets with different Fe levels. However, hematological charateristic s and Fe contents of vertebrae and liver were significantly different betwe en the fish fed the diet containing 55mg Fe/kg and other groups. These resu lts suggest I hat Fe deficiency developes hypochromemia in tiger puffer and the dietary Fe requirement is 90-140 mg/kg diet.