African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 5 (17), pp. 1551-1556, 4 September 2006   

ISSN 1684–5315 © 2006 Academic Journals        

Full Length Research Paper

Effect of feed cycling on specific growth rate, condition factor and RNA/DNA ratio of Labeo rohita

Muhammad Ali¹, Rehana Iqbal¹, Shabbir Ahmad Rana¹, Mohammad Athar², and Furhan Iqbal¹*

¹Institute of Pure and Applied Biology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60800, Pakistan.

²California Department of Food and Agriculture, 122O N Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, USA.

*Corresponding authors E-mail: farhanzoologist@hotmail.com,  janakahangaee@yahoo.com Phone: 061-9210053. Fax:            061- 9210098 & 9210068.

Present Address: PKU Labor University Kinder Klinink, AKH, Wahringer Gurtel 18-2, 1090 Vienna, Austria Fax: 0043 1 4063273 Phone 0043 650 644 3503

Accepted 30 August, 2006

A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of feed cycling on specific growth rate, condition factor and RNA/DNA ratio of Labeo rohita.  Fingerling L. rohita were randomly collected from Qadria Fish Farm and Hatchery, Multan, Pakistan and divided into control, 5 days and 10 days feed cycling groups.  Specific growth rate (% g day^-1), body composition, condition factor, and RNA/DNA ratio of individual fish and of each group were calculated. There was a highly significant (P<0.001) effect of feed cycling on specific growth rate and RNA/DNA ratio of L. rohita.  However, the effect on condition factor was non-significant. A gradual decline was observed in specific growth rate and RNA/DNA ratio with increasing length of starvation. L. rohita was able to maintain its main body constituents such as fat, protein, organic and inorganic contents indicating a compensatory growth, which was independent of duration of starvation.

Key words: Labeo rohita, feed cycling, specific growth rate, body composition, condition factor, RNA/DNA ratio