Experiment on phosphorus budget of redeye mullet (Liza haematocheila T. & S.) was con- ducted at water temperature 21℃ and salinity 33. The results showed that the growth phosphorus (phosphorus that allocated into growth, GP) increased from –30.84% to 15.83% by feeding on graded amount of diets (starvation, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4% body weight and satiation). The GP linearly increased with feeding levels (FL) as GP (mg) =–0.785 + 0.604 FL, and at satiation the relationship between GP and body weight (BW) was GP (mg) = 1.5991 BW 0.768 5. In the budget, IP (intake phosphorus) = GP + FP (faecal phosphorus) + EP (excretion phosphorus). FP showed an irregular tendency with different feeding levels, and EP decreased with increasing feeding levels but rebound at satiation. The P budget at satiation was 100IP = 15.84 GP + 64.62 FP + 19.55 EP.
A 21-d laboratory experiment was conducted to study, the phosphorus (P) utilization of two different diets by redlip mullet Liza haematocheila T. & S. Sand-filtered water in salinity 30 and temperature 25°C was used. Twenty-nine fish individuals were divided into three groups: 11 to group 1 (G1) fed on diet 1, 11 to group 2 (G2) fed on diet 2, and 7 to contrast group. Diet 1 was a commercial feed, more valuable in nutrition than diet 2 that similar to natural detritus. The results show the intake phosphorus (IP) of G1 was significantly higher than that of G2, and both increased linearly with body size at a certain amount of diet. The retention phosphorus (RP) in fish of G1 was lower than G2. The relationship between retention phosphorus and body size was positive and stronger in G2. Significant difference in faecal phosphorus (FP) was found between G1 and G2. Body size significantly impacted the excretion phosphorus (EP) in G1 but G2. The loss of intake phosphorus in G1 was 10.83–20.27 mg per g fish weight gain, higher than that in G2 for 6.63-9.56. Of the phosphorus, about 10% was allocated into growth, 50% in faeces, and the rest lost in excretion. The main part of phosphorus was lost in faeces but excretion. The phosphorus budget of the fish could be described as 100IP=7.40RP+47.39FP + 36.63EP (Diet 1) or 100IP =11.93RP+56.64FP+21.76EP (Diet 2).
