TIMELINE OF NUTRIENT INCORPORATION FROM BROODSTOCK DIET TO EGG IN CALIFORNIA YELLOWTAIL, SERIOLA DORSALIS

Existing brood fish research has ascertained that eggs are heavily influenced by broodstock diet but there is no information regarding this timeline of nutritional incorporation. The objective of this study is to determine duration of nutritional incorporation from diet to eggs through fatty acids. Nine California Yellowtail (Seriola dorsalis) broodstock were fed alternating diets of commercial pellets (Vitalis PRIMA: Skretting) and cutbait. Biochemical and biometric data from spawns were collected and analyzed for differences and similarities throughout the alternating diets. Eggs were observed to selectively incorporate higher sources of linolenic and linoleic acid from the pelleted diet, and eicosapentaenoic acid from the cutbait diet. Interestingly, results showed overall fatty acids from both diets were fully incorporated by eggs within 9 days following the diet switch. These findings provided new insight towards the selective incorporation of nutrients and will open new doors for future broodstock nutrition research.