Effects of dietary aluminum on growth and composition of young Atlantic salmon

A 16‐week feeding experiment was conducted to measure the effects of supplemental dietary aluminum (0, 25, 50, 100, 500, 1,000, 1,500, and 2,000 mg/kg diet) on growth, survival, feed conversion, and proximate composition of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), mean weight 4.8 g. No significant differences (P > 0.05) in growth, survival, or feed conversion were found among fish fed the different levels of aluminum. Body fat increased significantly in fish fed aluminum at the rate of 2,000 mg/kg of diet. Total ash was significantly lower in fish fed 1,000–2,000 mg aluminum/kg of diet than in those fed smaller amounts. Differences in concentration of individually measured minerals (aluminum, copper, iron, manganese, and magnesium) were not significant in either carcass or vertebrae of experimental fish. Supplemental dietary aluminum (up to 2,000 mg/ kg of diet) had no measurable beneficial or obvious adverse effect on fingerling Atlantic salmon.