Research Projects
Peru Project

Subcontract No. RD010A-13

Staff

University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Arkansas

Rebecca Lochmann

US Principal Investigator, Project Leader

Background

Colossoma and Piaractus are important food fishes in the Amazon basin, but little production technology regarding these species has been developed. Spawning and broodstock maintenance have been difficult to achieve, in part due to a lack of understanding of dietary needs of these species. A component of the Peru Project's Ninth Work Plan research (9NS3) involves the design of feeds using locally available ingredients for use in broodstock maintenance. Information on the nutrition of Piaractus brachypomus will be obtained though bracketing of vitamin requirements. Research on broodstock nutrition of Colossoma using locally available feeds addresses objectives in the Continuation Plan 1996–2001 regarding sustainable culture of new species.

Work Plan Research

This subcontract was awarded funding to conduct the following Ninth Work Plan investigation (see the Kenya Project (p. 62) for information on another funded investigation under this subcontract):

• Practical diet development for broodstock of Colossoma macropomum and Piaractus brachypomus/9NS3A. The report submitted for this investigation was a progress report.

Note: The methods for 9NS3 have been modified. The revised methods will appear in the Addendum to the Ninth Work Plan. The study 9NS3, "Spawning and grow-out of Colossoma macropomum and/or Piaractus brachypomus," is a collaborative project among Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC; under Subcontract No. RD010A-12), The Ohio State University (as a sub-project administered by Subcontract No. RD010A-12), and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. The following report addresses objectives related to local feeds; the remaining objectives are addressed in the 9NS3 report submitted by SIUC (see p. 54).

Educational Outreach

Lochmann teaches an undergraduate- and graduate-level aquatic animal nutrition course at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, in which she includes discussions about CRSP research. She also made presentations about CRSP research in connection with geography lessons at local elementary schools. Lochmann uses a set of overheads describing her research in Peru and Kenya when making presentations to students and visitors who are interested in aquaculture and fisheries.

In April, Lochmann made a presentation entitled "Development of Broodstock Diets for Colossoma in Peru" to a group of elementary school students at the Edgewood Elementary School in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.

Lochmann continually fields questions from the public about her research, and she has received several questions and comments on pacu as ornamental fish in the US.

Publication

Perschbacher, P. and R. Lochmann, 1999. Effects of feeding pelleted versus non-pelleted defatted rice bran on Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus production and water quality in ponds. Asian Fish. Sci., 12(1999):49–55.

Practical Diet Development for Broodstock of Colossoma macropomum and Piaractus brachypomus

Ninth Work Plan, New Aquaculture Systems/ New Species Research 3A (9NS3A)
Progress Report

Rebecca Lochmann
Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
Pine Bluff, Arkansas, USA

Abstract

Proximate analyses of broodstock and grow-out feeds for gamitana (Colossoma macropomum) and paco (Piaractus brachypomus) and their constituent feedstuffs were conducted. Literature values for specific nutrients known to affect fish reproduction were calculated from published sources for the broodstock diet. Broodstock eggs have not yet been obtained for proximate analysis. However, similar analyses conducted previously on eggs of similar species in Brazil have been described. Analytical information on the feedstuffs and diets currently being used in Iquitos, Peru, together with published information on the natural diets of colossomids and broodstock nutrition of other species were combined to formulate preliminary recommendations for the nutrition and feeding of gamitana and paco broodstock.