Dietary Effects of Carotenoid on Growth Performance and Pigmentation in Bighead Catfish (Clarias macrocephalus Günther, 1864)

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of supplemental carotenoid pigments on growth and color performance in bighead catfish (Clarias macrocephalus). Two experiments were undertaken to determine the appropriate types, feed duration, and dose of astaxanthin (As), canthaxanthin (Ca), and xanthophyll (Xa) pigments individually and in combination. In the first experiment, fish were fed with one control diet (basic diet), six experimental diets comprised of three diets of As, Ca, and Xa at a 100 mg/kg rate of supplementation, respectively, and three diets combinations of As + Ca, As + Xa, and Ca + Xa at a supplement rate of 50 mg + 50 mg/kg. The results showed no significant difference in weight gain (WG), specific growth rate (SGR), survival rate (SR), and feed conversion ratio of fish among treatments (p > 0.05) after 6 weeks. The L* (Lightness) and a* (redness) values in the Xa diet were significantly lower than other treatments, while b* (yellowness) was significantly higher than in the control and others treatments (p 0.05). Fish fed the Xa diet of 75 mg/kg were the most preferred by consumers for the natural “yellowness” of muscle. Thus, the results suggested that additional carotenoid pigments did not affect the growth performance of fish. Farmers and feed producers could utilize Xa at an optimal dose of 75 mg/kg to enhance color performance in the market size of bighead catfish for at least 4 weeks prior to harvest.

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