Effect of natural antioxidants on the growth and proximate composition of common carp (Cyprinus carpio

A 60 days growth experiment was conducted on common carp (Cyprinus carpio) fingerlings fed with different diets having natural antioxidants i.e., vitamin A, vitamin E & commercially available vitamin premix as control. Growth parameters and meat analysis was performed to evaluate the effect of antioxidants on growth and meat quality of common carp. The highest weight gain (14.69 ± 2.03 g) was observed by the fingerling fed with diet having vitamin E followed by vitamin premix (13± 1.67 g) and vitamin A (8.99 ± 1.07 g). Maximum increase (15.03 ± 0.18 cm) in length was recorded in fingerlings fed with diet having vitamin A followed by vitamin E (12.74 ± 0.47 cm) and vitamin premix (12.68 ± 0.77 cm). After feeding trial, random samples of ten fingerlings were collected from each aquarium fed with diets having different antioxidants for meat analysis. Moisture percentage (77.5%) and total fats (18.5%) were higher in fish meat fed with vitamin A. Crude protein (60.7%) and carbohydrates (56.3%) were higher in fish fed with vitamin E and the highest percentage of dry mater (22.8%) and total ash (0.23%) were recorded with vitamin premix diet. Dry matter, moisture, crude protein, total fat and carbohydrate were significantly different while total ash shows non-significance results for different antioxidants. The results of current study showed that vitamin E has positive effect on growth and meat quality of common carp.