Growth, mucosal immune responses, and total carotenoid content of juvenile red fantail male guppy fish (Poecilia reticulata) fed with different herbal supplements

Abstract

ABSTRACT One hundred and twenty red fantail male guppies (Poecilia reticulata) with an average weight of 0.64 ± 0.07 g were fed ad libitum a control diet without any herbals (0), 20 g/kg garlic, 20 g/kg red onion, and 20 g/kg sweet red pepper powders in 12 circular tanks for 60 d. The herbal treatments had significantly higher weight gain (94.70 ± 0.89 to 96.26 ± 0.90%), protein (3.58 ± 0.05 to 3.72 ± 0.06 mg/ml), ACH50 (1.41 ± 0.00 to 1.56 ± 0.00 U/ml), Ig (0.16 ± 0.00 to 0.32 ± 0.02 mg/ml), lysozyme activity (60.33 ± 0.88 to 68.00 ± 1.15 U/ml), carotenoids in lateral skin body (5.75 ± 0.025 to 8.26 ± 0.003 µg/g), and caudal fin (6.49 ± 0.003 to 10.10 ± 0.005 µg/g) than the control. Therefore, dietary garlic and sweet red pepper can be used for immunity and coloration in red fantail male guppies.