Lipase activity in the chime of three Teleostei freshwater fish

The objective of this work was to evaluate the lipase activity in the chime present in the intestines or in the rectum of three tropical freshwater Teleostei species with different feeding habits: piracanjuba, Brycon orbignyanus (Valenciennes, 1849), piau, Leporinus friderici, omnivorous, and surubim (Pseudoplatystoma coruscans), preferably carnivorous, aiming to provide nutritional data for the adjustment of different artificial feeding systems. The lipase activity was thus determined by the use of BIOCLIN kit. The results showed average specific lipase activity of 99.86%, being lower for piracanjuba (1.89 UI/mg) as compared to piau (1347.82 UI/mg), both omnivorous, while the activity of the same enzyme for piracanjuba was 99.76% lower when compared to surubim (793.76 UI/mg). Surubim showed specific activity of 41.11% lower than of piau. This data suggests that piau presented specific lipase activity closely to carnivorous fish than the omnivorous one. Additional studies with feeding test are necessary to evaluate the behavior of these species under a new feeding systems.