The effects of extracts from different plants such as nettle (Urtica sp.) marigold flowers (Tagetes erecta), alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and synthetic xanthophyll (Zeaxanthin) carotenoid diets on pigmentation and growth parameters of electric yellow (Labidochromis caeruleus)

The aim of this study is to determine the effects of extracts from different plants such as nettle (Urtica sp.), marigold (Tagetes erecta), alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and synthetic carotenoid supplemented to diets with 150 mg/kg on the growth and the skin coloration on electiric yellow (blue streak hap) fish belonging to the Cichlidae family with the economic importance. In five experimental groups, control, nettle, marigold, alfalfa, synthetic xanthophylls are arranged to have 3 replications as 15 aquariums. In each aquarium, 15 fish were fed (ad-libitum) a total of 225 fish 2 times a day for 3 months. Yellow princess (Labidochromis caeruleus) with average weights of 0.564 g per experiment was found to be over 2 g in all experimental groups at the end of the experiment (P> 0.05). At the end of the experiment, the live weight gain ratio, specific growth rates, feed consumption, total live weight gain, feed conversion rate, death and survival rates were not significant. The color parameters measured in the experiment contain important values for L *, a *, b *, Habo and Chroma in terms of herbal extracts. In the group containing nettle extracts (61,850), the highest brightness (L *) value was found to be different from the control, zeax and marigold group (P <0.05). At the end of the experiment, when the Habo values of the fish in the groups were examined, the Habo angle of the yellow color was found to be yellow in all groups. Habo angle is obtained from alfalfa (99,391), marigold (98,993) and nettle (98,800) groups, respectively and they were higher than Zeax (94,881) and Control (91,090) groups (P <0.05). When the values obtained at the end of the experiment were examined, the group with the highest Ch value was found in the group containing alfalfa extract (27,407) and it was determined that the difference between the control group (13,200) and the pigment added group was significant (P <0.05). Ch values measured in our study were in the control group in the center to neutral gray, on the contrary as Ch increased in the other groups, the intensity and purity appeared and the color became clearer. In the carotenoid added groups, the skin color of the fish was contained yellow color with brighter darkness and purity.