Background:

Prebiotics are polysaccharides that cannot be digested by the host; however, they generate benefits by stimulating the activity of beneficial microorganisms in the digestive system, which can maximize weight gain, feed conversion, and stimulate the immune response. Mannan oligosaccharides (MOS) have been evaluated in several fish species of commercial importance.

Goals:

Determine inclusion effects of different MOS levels in balanced diets for juveniles of Atractosteus tropicus on the growth, productive parameters, survival, somatic indexes, and activity of digestive enzymes.

Methods:

Six experimental diets including MOS (0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8%) and a trout control diet (DC) were designed, manufactured, and evaluated in triplicate during 62 days. A hundred and eighty juveniles (5.11 ± 0.08 g) were distributed in a recirculation system with 18 tanks of 70 L with a flow of 10 L min-1.

Results:

The 0.2% MOS diet produced the highest values in weight gained (WG), specific growth rate (SGR), and protein efficiency rate (PER) and the lowest value in feed conversion rate (FCR). Survival in all treatments was greater than 96%. The hepatosomatic index was higher for the 0.4% treatment, while the viscerosomatic index was higher for the 0.4% and 0.6% treatments. All the enzymatic activities (acid protease, alkaline protease, trypsin, chymotrypsin, leucine aminopeptidase, carboxypeptidases, lipases, α-amylase, acid phosphatases, and alkaline phosphatases) showed significant differences by the inclusion of MOS in the diet.

Conclusions:

Supplementation of 0.2% MOS in diets for juveniles of A. tropicus, generates benefits in growth and productive performance. The inclusion of MOS in diets for juveniles of A. tropicus modifies somatic indices and the activity of digestive enzymes of juveniles.