National Research Council (NRC): Nutrient requirements of fish and shrimp

TLDR: The book summarizes current knowledge about nutritional requirements of fish and shrimp, and provides information about the basic concepts of nutritional research, gives guidelines relating to the design of practical nutritional studies, and introduces some of the basic methods used in such studies.

Abstract: The previous NRC handbooks covering the nutritional requirements of aquatic animals rapidly achieved the status of standard works of reference, and the same is likely to be the case for Nutrient Requirements of Fish and Shrimp. This new book, which updates and expands upon information given in the 1993 edition, has been put together by a committee of ten well-known aquatic animal nutritionists. Given the length of time that has elapsed since publication of the previous edition, this book is long overdue. The book summarizes current knowledge about nutritional requirements of fish and shrimp (some readers will be more familiar with several species under the name prawns, and some information is also given for other crustaceans). In addition, it provides information about the basic concepts of nutritional research, gives guidelines relating to the design of practical nutritional studies, and introduces some of the basic methods used in such studies. Not surprisingly, given the amount of nutritional information available for the aquatic animal groups considered in this publication, there is greater coverage of finfish than of the shrimps (prawns). Major finfish groups considered are warm-water omnivores (carps, tilapias and catfishes), cold-water carnivores (salmonids) and warm-water marine species, such as sea-basses and sea breams. Among the crustaceans, most of the information given relates to marine penaeids, although there is also some mention of the feeding and nutrition of lobsters, crabs, crayfish, and the giant river prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii. The book is made up of a Summary and Introduction, 15 main chapters, an overview of future research needs, a series of summary tables, lists of species names, abbreviations and acronyms, appendices, and an index. The first main chapter introduces basic concepts and methodology and there then follow general overviews of feeding, digestion, and metabolism, before there is a move to considerations of the macronutrients and micronutrients. Feed additives and anti-nutritional factors are also covered, as are methods used to assess nutrient bioavailability, and there are also chapters that cover feeding practices and feed management, and larval nutrition. The closing chapters cover feed ingredients, their processing, and the production of formulated feeds for aquatic species.