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in Journal of Advanced Laboratory Research in Biology

We- together to save yourself society e-ISSN 0976-7614

Volume 4, Issue 3, July 2013 Research Article

Effect of Growth and Pigmentation on Acceptability of Different Feeds by Colisa lalia

(Hamilton, 1822)
Manab Kumar Saha* and Bidhan C. Patra
Aquaculture Research Unit, Department of Zoology, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore-721 102, West Bengal,
India.

Abstract: Bright colouration always attracts the people; it is also true in case of ornamental fish. The colour creates
a natural eye catching environment to the visitors, Buyers and hobbyist. Now, it is well established that the colour of
ornamental fish can modify by the feed. In case of fish, without dietary addition of carotenoids leads to dull colour
resonance. Which leads to poor market demand and it's directly related to the profitability i.e. determine their market
demand and price. In the present study, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of four different types
of feed (Living Tubifex, Dried Tubifex, Dried Daphnia and commercial food) for Colisa lalia (Hamilton, 1822).
Carotenoid content and specific growth rate (SGR) of the fish were analyzed after the treatment and Colisa lalia
consume the live organisms more efficiently than the artificial feed. The Living Tubifex gave the best result for
Colisa lalia to increasing the colouration and growth.

Keywords: Indigenous Ornamental fish, carotenoids, fish feed, Colisa lalia, Specific growth rate.

1. Introduction 1991; No and Storebakken, 1992; Smith et al., 1992;

Storebakken and No, 1992; Meyers, 1994; Hatlen et al.,
Ornamental fish farming is among the most 1995, 1997; Diler et al., 2005; Ingle de la Mora et al.,
valuable industries in the recent times. Ornamental 2006; Yanar et al., 2007). The effect of carotenoids in
fishes are often referred as living jewels due to their addition to the diets of ornamental fish have also shown
colour, shape and behaviour. They are peaceful, good performance in case of Goldfish and Koi carp
generally tiny, attractively coloured and could be (Gouveia and Rema, 2005), Neon Serpae Tetra (Wang
accommodated in confined spaces. Among the different et al., 2006), and Guppies (Grether et al., 1999). Fish
characteristic of ornamental fish, the colour is the prime size and age is an important factor in order to
and important quality for selection and propagation to carotenoid deposition (Hatlen et al., 1995). By different
the hobbyist in the ornamental fish trade (Mandal et al., experiment, it is proved that carotenoids were better
2010). The indigenous ornamental fish Colisa lalia assimilated at the time of sexual maturity. Body colour
already well established ornamental fish worldwide patterns are important for animals because they can
(Saha et al., 2013). From the commercial point of view, function in inter- and intraspecies communication and
the bright and natural colouration is of very important provide camouflage, thermoregulation and protection
in case of ornamental fish. Like other animals, fish also against solar radiation. In many taxa, colour patterns are
cannot synthesize carotenoids, and they should provide caused by large star-shaped pigment containing cells,
them through a feed (Sommer et al., 1992). So, chromatophores, which are located in the skin. The
supplementation of carotenoids is essential to enhance chromatophores are grouped into subclasses based on
the colour performance in case of ornamental fish. In the colour of their pigment containing organelles:
controlled experiments, use of different carotenoid xanthophores (yellow), erythrophores (red/orange),
sources in different concentration has a significant iridophores (reflective/iridescent), leucophores (white),
effect on body colouration of fishes (Sommer et al., melanophores (black/brown) and the more rare

*Corresponding author:
E-mail: [email protected].
Effect on Colisa lalia by Different Feeds Saha and Patra

cyanophores (blue). Ornamental aquaculture is the most commercial food were given as twice a day. The
popular industry worldwide. The colour intensity of experiment was conducted for a period of 120 days. At
ornamental fish makes them more attractive to the the end of the experiment, the total carotenoids were
hobbyist (Rezende et al., 2012). Among the same estimated. The caudal fin and muscle of the specimen
species and lineages, the most colourful fish get fish (Colisa lalia) was collected to carry out before the
preference and more attractive to the consumer. This is start of the experiment and after 120 days of the
one of the main factors that determine the price. The experiment (BioAstin/ NaturoseTM Technical Bulletin
multiple colour patterns found in the fish depend on #020, 2001). This procedure carotenoid and astaxanthin
multiple interactions between the pigments in the quantity was measured from the different types of feed
integumentary cells, known as chromatophores, and it used in the experiment. To calculate the growth pattern,
is the result of the combination between the different SGR (specific growth rate) of each of the fishes
types of chromatophores (Odiorne, 1957; Fujii, 2000). measured at the end of the treatment. The specific
Literature review indicated that ornamental fish require growth rate (SGR) of the fish was calculated using the
between 50 and 400mg/L of synthetic or natural formula:
carotenoids (e.g., red pepper and marigold extracts) in
their diet to develop colour similar to those of fish SGR = (ln Wf – ln Wi)/T x 100
eating live foods (Boonyaratpalin and Lovell, 1977; Fey Where, Wf = final average weight, Wi = initial average
and Meyers, 1980; Lovell, 1992). Although the weight, and T = time in days.
ornamental fish industry is one of the most valuable
agricultural commodities in the country, there is little
published information on feeding practices. Ornamental 3. Result and Discussion
fish in captivity need to utilize their dietary protein with
There are four types of fish feeds used in the
the utmost efficiency, as the breakdown products of
present study. It was observed that the food preference
protein metabolism (mainly ammonia) will directly
and food consumption was in the following order of the
pollute their living environment (Pannevis, 1993; Ng et
aquarium number 1> 3> 2>4. It was also observed that
al., 1993; Earle, 1995; Pannevis and Earle, 1995). As
the better growth in terms of body length and weight
fish cannot synthesize these pigments, they rely on
was also found in the above order at the end of the
dietary supply of carotenoids to achieve their natural
experiment. It was also found that the SGR of the fish
skin pigmentation, one of the most important quality
that fed living Tubifex was significantly higher than the
criteria informing the market value of ornamental fish
fishes of the other aquaria. The Specific growth rate
(Paripatananont et al., 1999; Lovell, 2000; Gouveia et
(SGR) of the fish (Colisa lalia) also followed the same
al., 2003). The conspicuousness of the carotenoid-based
order i.e. 1>3>2>4. To determine the colour intensity, it
colouration is considered as a reliable indicator of the
is essential to measure approximate astaxanthin value.
foraging ability of individuals for carotenoid-rich foods.
Result showed the approximate astaxanthin value in the
The present paper tries to communicate the efficacy of
aquarium 1 than the aquarium 3 than the aquarium 2
different commercially available feed and a live feed
and 4. Samples were collected from the muscle and
for better growth and colouration.
caudal fin of the fish to measure approximate
astaxanthin value (Mandal et al., 2010). During the
2. Materials and Methods
estimation of approximate astaxanthin of the fish feeds,
For the present experiment, Colisa lalia was living Tubifex showed the maximum value comparable
chosen as sample specimen. The samples were more or to the other feeds. The order of the approximate
less uniform size (2.5cm in length and 194mg in astaxanthin content of the other fish feeds was
Weight) of 30 days age. The fishes were collected from commercial food > Dried Tubifex > Dried Daphnia.
an ornamental fish farm. Before the beginning of the Fish metabolizes carotenoids before depositing them on
experiment, the sample specimens were being natural receptors in the skin (Miki et al., 1985; Matsuno
acclimatized in the well maintained aquaria for 10 days. et al., 1985; Katsuyama et al., 1987; Katsuyama and
Aquaria were labelled as 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively and Matsuno, 1988). The maximum amount of astaxanthin
each of which contained 20 fishes. The fish were fed in the caudal fin and the muscle of the Colisa lalia was
with Living Tubifex, Dried Tubifex, Dried Daphnia and observed that fed living Tubifex.

Table 1. Mean total length and weight of Colisa lalia fed with different types of feed.

Length (±) % increase in Weight (±) % increase in SGR

Tank
(cm) length (mg) weight
Initial 2.45 ± 0.071 - 0.189 ± 0.018 - -
Living Tubifex 3.21 ± 0.157 31.02 0.286 ± 0.018 47.61 0.011
Dried Tubifex 2.67 ± 0.138 8.97 0.227 ± 0.0163 20.10 0.042
Dried Daphnia 2.59 ± 0.141 5.71 0.219 ± 0.014 15.87 0.033
Commercial food 3.03 ± 0.247 23.67 0.233 ± 0.0186 22.75 0.488

J. Adv. Lab. Res. Biol. 97

Effect on Colisa lalia by Different Feeds Saha and Patra

10000

Astaxanthin (ppm) approximate

9000
8000
7000
6000
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
Living tubifex Dried tubifex Dried Daphnia commercial food
Types of feed

Fig. 1. Amount of approximate astaxanthin present in different type of fed.

500
Astaxanthin (ppm) approximate

450
400
350
300
250 Fin
200
150 Muscle
100
50
0
Living tubifex Dried tubifex Dried Daphnia commercial food
Types of feed

Fig. 2. Amount of approximate astaxanthin present in Fin and muscle of Colisa lalia after the end of experiment.

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