Effect of Colour Enhancers in the Colour Enhancement of Juvenile Goldfish Carassius Auratus (linnaeus, 1758)

By : Ramya, M. , B. Ahilan , Rajagopalsamy. C.B.T. , T. Francis

Page No: 67-75

Abstract
Attractive colouration is a determining factor for the commercial value of ornamental fish. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of two natural (spirulina and shrimp head meal) and two artificial (b-carotene and astaxanthin) colour enhancers in the colour enhancement of 60 days old juvenile goldfish, Carassius auratus. The juvenile fishes were fed with experimental feed ad libitum. Among the natural colour enhancers, the spirulina fed fishes recorded the maximum mean weight gain of 1.11g at 3 % level. In the artificial colour enhancers, a higher mean weight gain was recorded in the juvenile fishes fed with b-carotene at 0.02 % level followed by astaxanthin at 0.005 % level. A seven fold increase in the carotenoid content was observed in the spirulina fed fishes at 4% concentration compared to other diets and control fishes. The colour enhancement was higher in the astaxanthin at 0.004 % level followed by b-carotene at 0.02 % level. This study confirmed that the natural colour enhancers could be best for the growth and colour enhancement of goldfish.

Authors :
Ramya, N., Ahilan, B., Rajagopalasamy, C.B.T., and T. Francis
Department of Inland Aquaculture, Fisheries College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Fisheries University, Thoothukudi-8