Growth indices, antioxidant status and Lactobacillus bacteria population of yellowfin seabream (Acanthopagrus latus Houttuyn, 1782) fed with diets containing sodium citrate

In this study, the nutritional effects of sodium citrate (SC) on some growth indices, antioxidant status and Lactobacillus bacteria population of yellowfin seabream (Acanthopagrus latus) juvenile (initial weight of 6.5 ± 0.2 g) were studied for 8 weeks. Three isonitrogenous and isolipidic experimental diets that fish meal was replaced with plant protein, supplemented with 0 g sodium citrate /kg diet (control), SC5 (5 g sodium citrate /kg diet) or SC10 (10 g sodium citrate /kg diet) sodium citrate. A total of three experimental diets were fed to three groups of yellowfin seabream. At the end of the nutritional experiment, the results exhibited that the mean final weight and weight gain indices in the fish fed with the sodium citrate were significantly higher than the control group (p<0.05). Survival rate was not significantly different between the treatments (p>0.05). The intestinal Lactobacillus population was significantly higher in the groups fed with the diets containing sodium citrate (p<0.05) than in control. Catalase and superoxidase superoxidase did not exhibit significant differences between experimental treatments (p>0.05). However, glutathione peroxidase activity was significantly higher in the treatments (p<0.05) than in control. Index of lipid peroxidation, malondialdehyde in SC5 and SC10 significantly decreased compared to the control group (p<0.05). These results indicated that dietary supplementation of sodium citrate at a level of 5 g sodium citrate per kg diet improved growth performance, antioxidant status and beneficial intestinal microbiota of the yellowfin seabream juvenile.