Research Article: Effect of time‐dependent protein restriction on growth performance, immunity response, and body composition in the stellate sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus)

One hundred and fifty stellate sturgeon (acipenser stellatus, 250 ± 3.24 g) were assembled into 15 round concrete tanks. the tanks were allocated to five treatments with three replications: fed with a diet containing 30% protein for eight weeks (t1); fed with a diet containing 30% protein level in weeks 1, 3, 5, and 7 and fed with a diet containing 35% protein level in weeks 2, 4, 6, and 8 (t2); fed with a diet containing 30% protein in weeks 1, 2, 5, and 6, and fed with a diet containing 35% protein in weeks 3, 4, 7, and 8 (t3); fed with a diet containing 30% in the diet in weeks 1, 2, 3, and 4, and fed with a diet containing of 35% protein in weeks 5, 6, 7, and 8 (t4); and fed with a diet containing 35% for eight weeks (t5). remarkable effects were recorded in growth efficiency, and t2 and t5 had higher growth than other treatments. no marked difference was seen in the whole body composition. different feeding strategies affected rbc, wbc, and mcv, and rbc and wbc of fish in the t4 were notably upper than in the other groups. different feeding strategies had marked differences in lysozyme and ach50 activity. these results demonstrated that t2 could use as a feeding strategy for stellate sturgeon.