EFFECT OF DIETS ENRICHED WITH HUFA AND VITAMIN E ON THE GROWTH AND SURVIVAL OF FRY OF SIAMESE FIGHTING FISH, BETTA SPLENDENS (REGAN, 1910)

Abstract

Three hundred number of one month old Siamese fighting fish, Betta splendens fry (average body weight 0.141±0.02 g) were equally distributed in five treatment groups each with three replicates in glass aquaria of 35 L capacity. The five treatment groups were control (C) – Tubifex; T1-formulated feed (FF); T2-formulated feed + 0.01% vitamin E; T3-formulated feed + 1% EFA/DHA and T4- formulated feed + 0.01% vitamin E + 1% EPA/DHA and the trial was continued for 126 days. The highest (P < 0.05) average body weight (g) was observed in control group (1.07±0.04), which was not significantly different with T1 and T2 groups. No significant differences were observed in the body weight gain, specific growth rate (1.62%) and feed conversion ratio (P>0.05) among the groups. However, T2 group recorded highest protein efficiency ratio (1.29±0.12), which was not significantly different with T1, T3 and T4 groups. Highest survival percentage was found in T2 (83.3%) group, which was not significantly different with control (C) and T1 groups. Vitamin E did not show any specific effect on digestive enzyme activity in intestine tissues except lowest amylase activity (2.56±0.05) in T2 group. Liver tissue recorded highest lipase activity in T2 (0.68±0.04) group. So, considering all factors, it can be concluded that formulated feed enriched with vitamin E had similar performance with live feed like Tubifex.

 

Keywords: Betta splendens, live feed, vitamin E, EPA/DHA, growth and survival.