Influence of supplementation of various levels of natural zeolite (clinoptilolite) into diets on growth, body composition, some blood parameters and gut morphology in common carp (Cyprinus carpio L., 1758)

In this study, it was aimed to investigate the effects of fish feed containingvarying levels of dietary zeolit on growth, body composition, some blood parametersand the morphology of intestine of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L., 1758). The fishwere fed twice a day with diets containing dietary zeolit at 0 (control), 1, 2, 3 and 4%,respectively. Each diet was triplicated and given twice a day period to fish with 15.09 ±0.02 g of initial weight over a 12 weeks. At the end of study, weights of the fish were73,01±2,68, 68,93±2,43, 72,51±5,01, 69,82±5,29 and 72,10±3,28 in fish fed dietsincluding 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4% zeolit, respectively. The results obtained showed that liveweight gain, feed consumption, feed conversion rate, specific growth rate, proteinefficiency ratio, viscera somatic index, carcass performance and conduction factor werenot significantly affected by the experimental diets (P>0,05). No statistically differenceswere noted among the whole body protein, lipid, drymatter and ash levels ofexperimental groups. The fish fed diets containing varying levels of zeolit had low bloodglucose and blood urea, and high hemoglobin levels (P<0,05), whereas leucocytes andcholesterol levels were nearly similar compared with control group (P>0,05).Histological observations showed the experimental diets had no effect on themorphology of anterior and posterior intestine and intestine lenght of the fish (P>0,05).