The use of alfalfa Medicago sativa as a natural carotenoid source in diets of goldfish Carassius auratus

HUNT, ARZU ÖZLÜER

his study was conducted to evaluate the effects of diets including 0, 5, 10, 15, 25, and 40% alfalfa meals (containing 0, 20, 40, 60, 100, and 160 mg total carotenoids/kg diet, respectively) and 60 mg apo-ester, a synthetic carotenoid/kg diet on skin pigmentation, growth, feed utilization and survival of a red variety of goldfish, Carassius auratus, with average initial weight of 10.3 g, for a rearing period of 60 days. The pigmentation degree in skin of goldfish increased significantly with increasing inclusion of alfalfa up to 25% level in the diet (P < 0.05). However, the alfalfa inclusion over that level did not lead to more total carotenoid accumulation in the skin of fish. The diets including apo-ester and 15% alfalfa, both of which contained 60 mg carotenoid/kg diet, had similar eff...