Dietary substitution of fishmeal by alternative protein with guanosine monophosphate supplementation influences growth, digestibility, blood chemistry profile, immunity, and stress resistance of red sea bream, Pagrus major.

We determined the effects of complete fishmeal (FM) replacement by alternative protein (soy protein concentrate, SPC) with guanosine monophosphate (GMP) supplementation on growth, digestibility, immunity, blood chemistry profile, and stress resistance of juvenile red sea bream, Pagrus major. FM protein of a FM-based control diet (FM0) was replaced with 33.3 (FM33.3), 66.6 (FM66.7), and 100% (FM100) by SPC protein, and each replacement group was supplemented with 0.4% GMP to formulate four experimental diets. Each diet was randomly allocated to triplicate groups of fish (4.8 g) for 56 days. Results demonstrated that fish fed diet group FM33.3 had the significantly highest final weight, weight gain-specific growth rate, and feed intake. Meanwhile, in comparison to control, growth performance and feed utilization did not significantly differ with 66.7% FM replacement by SPC with GMP supplementation. Apparent digestibility coefficient of protein and lipid also followed a similar trend. All growth, feed utilization, and digestibility parameters were significantly lower in FM100 diet group. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and triglycerides (TG) increased (P < 0.05) with increasing FM replacement level by SPC. Interestingly, total cholesterol level reduces with the increasing level of FM replacement by SPC with GMP supplementation. Fish fed FM0 diet group showed the best condition of both oxidative and freshwater stress resistance. Meanwhile, FM33.3 and FM66.7 diet groups showed acceptable conditions. Innate immune responses enhanced with the increasing FM replacement level by SPC with GMP supplementation. In conclusion, FM could be replaced ≤66.7% by SPC with GMP supplementation in diets for red sea bream without any adverse effects on fish performances.