Header menu link for other important links
X
Role of plant based natural carotenoids on feeding, growth and colouration of fish: A case study
A MUKHERJEE, B MANDAL, S BANERJEE
Published in Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
2011
Pages: 179 - 188
Abstract
Optimal feeding is an essential criterion for successful aquaculture. Sometimes fishfeed containing rich nutritional ingredients are also failed to earn proper benefit asculturable species reject it. If the feed is not readily consumed it would lead to wastage,poor FCR/SGR and fade colouration of fish as well as pollution of the water body. Thus,nowadays use of feed additive is so significant. Colour enhancement, improvement in theability of breeding, proper growth and development of fish through the use of carotenoidsin fish feed as feed additive has now caught the attention of researchers. Generally, thecarotenoids are the primary source of colour in fin and shell fishes but both of themcannot synthesize carotenoids by themselves. Therefore, they have to obtain carotenoidsfrom their food. Often pigment present in the diet reflects the pattern of pigmentation.The use of a plant source in fish feed presents a double advantage; besides being rich incarotenoid pigments, they are a direct source of nutrients like protein, lipids and vitamins.The present communication tries to evaluate the role of carotenoid rich feed on health oftiger barb fish, Puntius tetrazona/ Barbus tetrazona in closed aquaria. We used the driedpetals of Calendula officinalis (Family: Asteraceae) containing (0.936±0.02) mgcarotenoids/25 mg of sample. Result indicates more feed conversion, better growth anddevelopment of the fish those consume carotenoid rich feed. We also found significantdifference in the increment (P<0.01) of the carotenoids in fin, skin and muscle oforganisms in the treated tanks than the control. Besides these, few crucial hydrological variables such as dissolved oxygen, free carbon-di oxide, acidity, pH etc were also shown better stability in experimental tanks. © 2010 by Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.
About the journal
JournalCarotenoids: Properties, Effects and Diseases
PublisherNova Science Publishers, Inc.