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A growth trial was conducted to feed juvenile tilapia (initial weight,9.1 AE 0.1g), Oreochromis niloticus  O. aureus, isonitrogenous diets for 8 weeks. Six diets were formulated containing 29% crude protein from casein and gelatin, 10% crude fat from soybean oil and re¢ned soybean lecithin and varying levels of corn starch ranging from 6% to 46% at increments of 8%, with corresponding energy to protein (E/P) ratios of 35.6, 37.9, 40.2, 42.5, 44.8 and 47.1kJ g À1 . Weight gain (WG), speci¢c growth rate, feed e⁄ciency ratio and protein e⁄ciency ratio were signi¢cantly higher in ¢sh fed diets with starch ! 22% (or E/P ratio ! 40.2 kJ g À1 ) than in ¢sh fed diets with 6% or 14% starch (or E/P ratio of 35.6 or 37.9 kJ g À1 ).No further improvement was measured when dietary starch content increased beyond 22%. Body protein retention showed the same general pattern as WG, and was highest in ¢sh fed the 22% starch diet. Body composition was signi¢cantly a¡ected by dietary starch level. Fish fed diets with starch ! 30% had signi¢cantly higher lipid content than ¢sh fed diets with 6% or 14% starch. Ash content was negatively correlated with starch inclusion level, but moisture and protein contents did not show discernible trends among treatments. Results indicate that hybrid tilapia can utilize 46% dietary starch without growth retardation, while 22% starch in feed for juvenile tilapia containing 29% protein and 10% lipid, or an E/P ratio of 37.9 kJ g À1 is optimal. à Di¡erent superscripts within each column indicate signi¢cant (Po0.05) di¡erences between ¢sh fed di¡erent diets.Aquaculture Research, 2005 Dietary carbohydrate level in juvenile tilapia Y Wang et al.

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