EFFECT OF DIFFERENT LEVELS OF SUPPLEMENTAL L-ASCORBIC ACID IN PRACTICAL DIET OF TOR KHUDREE (SYKES) FRY

Abstract

The effects of dietary supplementation of L-ascorbic acid on growth, survival and bioenergetic parameters of fry of Tor khudree were evaluated. Fry were fed practical diet containing 0.05, 0.10, 0.20, 0.40 and 1.0g Kg ^-1 of L-ascorbic acid for both experiments. Experiment I was conducted as per Completely Randomized Design (CRD) to evaluate the effects of L-ascorbic acid supplemented diet on growth and survival of fry of Tor khudree during 42 days rearing period. Maximum length gain (94.03%), weight gain (883.77%), survival (86.67%) and SGR (5.44%) were recorded for fry fed T4 (0.40 g Kg^-1 L-ascorbic acid) diet. T4 diet was found to be significantly better (P<0.05) than other diets. Experiment II was conducted to evaluate the effect of L-ascorbic acid supplemented diet on bioenergetic parameters. Fry fed with T4 diet showed better FCR, PER assimilation, assimilation efficiency, gross growth efficiency, relative growth rate, conversion rate, protein digestibility co-efficient, lipid digestibility co-efficient, digestible energy, apparent protein retention, apparent lipid retention and was found significantly better (P<0.05) than other diets. The results of these feeding experiments indicated better growth, survival and feed utilization of fry of Tor khudree fed diet supplemented with 0.40g Kg^-1 L-ascorbic acid.

 

Keywords: Feed supplement, ascorbic acid, practical diet, Deccan mahseer Tor khudree fry.