Effect of four ornamental flowers on the growth and colouration of orange sword tail Chicilidae fish (Xiphophorus hellereiHeckel, 19840)

Abstract

The present research was designed to study the effect four botanical additives (H. rosasinensis, Rosa indica, Ixora coccinea and Crossandra infundibuliformiss) on the growth and body colouration of an ornamental fish of red sword tail Xiphophorus hellerei (Heckel). This experiment was conducted in adult female fish for a period of 75 days. The carotenoid pigment sources were added to the supplementary diet at 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5 percent levels of concentrations respectively. The fishes were treated with at the rate of 5 to ten percent level of body weight. Three fold increases in growth was observed in H. rosasinensis fed fishes followed by R. indica. Furthermore, the similar weight gain has been observed rest of the two flower petals (I. coccinea and C. infundibuliformiss). The percentage of colour pigments obtained in adult fish were maximum in I. coccinea one percent level then remaining flowers peal showed another highest pigment production was R. indica, H. rosasinensis and C. infundibuliformiss. Consequently a significant difference was found between individuals fed by natural pigment material and those by unpigmented feeds (p≤0.05). It was demonstrated that natural pigment substances have an impact on coloration of cichlid and the groups did not exhibit any distinctions in feed conversion and growth rates. Therefore, it was determined that these pigment sources have an effect on the colour of cichlid fish.