Effect of feeding Spirulina platensis on the growth, proximate composition and organoleptic quality of common carp, Cyprinus carpio L.

Abstract

The effect of feeding Spirulina platensis on the growth, carcass composition, organoleptic quality, digestive enzyme activity and digestibility of common carp, Cyprinus carpio L., was studied through a culture trial lasting 120 days. Four experimental diets were employed by replacing fish meal protein from the standard diet at 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% through the incorporation of Spirulina. Another diet with Spirulina as the sole source of protein was also used. The final weight gain, specific growth rate, food conversion ratio and protein efficiency ratio of common carp were not affected by Spirulina supplementation. However, the diet with Spirulina as the sole source of protein resulted in better net protein retention. The muscle RNA:DNA ratio of fish fed Spirulina diets was higher than that of fish fed control diet. There was no significant difference in carcass moisture and protein content in the fish fed Spirulina diets as compared to fish‐meal‐based control diet. The carcass ash and fat contents were positively and negatively correlated with dietary Spirulina level, respectively. Organoleptic evaluation revealed no effect of Spirulina feeding on the quality of both raw and cooked fish. The gut digestive enzyme activity did not show any definite trend with respect to Spirulina supplementation. Spirulina improved the protein digestibility of the diets.

Effects of Dietary Supplementation of Spirulina and Quercetin on Growth, Innate Immune Responses, Disease Resistance Against Edwardsiella tarda, and Dietary Antioxidant Capacity in the Juvenile Olive Flounder Paralichthys olivaceus

“…As shown in the previous studies with silver seabream, Siberian sturgeon and red tilapia hybrid (El-Sayed, 1994;Palmegiano et al, 2005;Ungsethaphand et al, 2010). However, the results of some other studies revealed significant changes in whole-body crude protein (Nandeesha et al, 2001;Abdel-Tawwab and Ahmad, 2009;Promya and Chitmanat, 2011), crude lipid Nandeesha et al, 1998Nandeesha et al, , 2001Abdel-Tawwab and Ahmad, 2009), ash (Nandeesha et al, 2001;Tongsiri et al, 2010), and moisture contents (Tongsiri et al, 2010;Promya and Chitmanat, 2011) of fish after spirulina administration.…”

“…Similarly, no significant effects have been reported on growth performance in common carp Cyprinus carpio (Nandeesha et al, 1998), catla Catla catla (Nandeesha et al, 2001), Nile tilapia (Ungsethaphand et al, 2010), and a mixed breed catfish (Clarias macrocephalus × Clarias gariepinus) (Burchell) (Promkunthong and Pipattanwattankhul, 2005). Abdel-Tawwab and Ahmad (2009) attributed the growth enhancement of Nile tilapia fed spirulina to improved feed intake and digestibility and suggested that high contents of several nutrients including vitamins and minerals may aid its growth-enhancing effects.…”

“…Abdel-Tawwab and Ahmad (2009) attributed the growth enhancement of Nile tilapia fed spirulina to improved feed intake and digestibility and suggested that high contents of several nutrients including vitamins and minerals may aid its growth-enhancing effects. Alternatively, growth improvement by spirulina may be a result of increased fish appetite (Nandeesha et al, 1998). The variation in spirulina's effects on fish growth performance may be due to the different nutritive values of spirulina species used in experiments (Nandeesha et al, 1998).…”

“…Alternatively, growth improvement by spirulina may be a result of increased fish appetite (Nandeesha et al, 1998). The variation in spirulina's effects on fish growth performance may be due to the different nutritive values of spirulina species used in experiments (Nandeesha et al, 1998). Also, Takeuchi et al (2002) declared that differences in the effects of spirulina on fish growth may be due to differences in the chemical compositions of experimental diets.…”

“…Also, its immunomodulatory activity has been shown in animal experiments, which demonstrated its enhancement of phagocytic and natural killer activities (Qureshi and Ali, 1996). Several studies have been conducted to investigate the effects of spirulina on growth, nutrient utilization and immune responses of various fish species, including rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (Matty and Smith, 1978), red sea bream Pagrus major (Mustafa et al, 1997), common carp Cyprinus carpio (Nandeesha et al, 1998), tilapia Oreochromis niloticus (Takeuchi et al, 2002), white sturgeon Acipenser transmontanus (Palmegiano et al, 2008), Mekong giant catfish Pangasianodon gigas (Tongsiri et al, 2010), and African sharptooth catfish Clarias gariepinus (Promya and Chitmanat, 2011).…”