Effects of dietary copper on survival, growth and biochemical parameters in juvenile common carp (Cyprinus Carpio L.) cultured at Indra-Sarovar of Makwanpur, Nepal

Abstract

An outdoor experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary copper on survival, growth, and biochemical parameters in common carp Cyprinus carpio cultured in the Indra Sarovar lake of Makwanpur, Nepal. Altogether 375 fingerlings of Cyprinus carpio (9.43±14.09 g) were placed in 15 cages made of bamboo covered by nylon net and carps were introduced at the rate of 25 fish per cage on random basis. All of the 15 cages were grouped in five different treatments triplets as T1, T2, T3 T4 and T5 respectively. Treatment first of three cages (T1r1, T1r2, T1r3) was considered as the control since copper was not loaded in the dry diet while in the second (T2r1, T2r2, T2r3), third (T3r1, T3r2, T3r3), fourth (T4r1, T4r2, T4r3), and the last fifth (T5r1, T5r2, T5r3) cages were fed copper-loaded diets as (200 mg cupper /kg), (400 mg cupper /kg), (800 mg cupper /kg) and (1600 mg cupper/kg) dry weight feed, respectively for 90 days. This was then was then followed by a 21 days recovery period with all cages fed the control diet (no added copper) diet. At the end of feeding trials total weight gain, weight gain (%), SGR and FCR were done followed by protein profiles, hepatic enzyme profiles and liver histology and finally haematology. After the study of all the parameters it has been concluded that dietary copper 800 mg /kg found suitable and better for fish growth.