Effects on growth and coloration of red pepper suplementation as pigment sources to diets of jewel cichlid (hemichromis guttatus)

In this study, effect on growth performance, feed convertion ratio (FCR), survival rate, pigmentation and survival rate of addition 3%, 7%, 11% and 15% red pepper to diet of jewelery fish (average weight 3,42 ± 0,016 g) was investigated. The diets of the jewelery cichlid fish were prepared as isonitrogenic (37%) and isocaloric (3831 kcal kg-1) and fish were fed for 90 days with experimental feeds. In the experiment, 15 fish were stocked as 3 replications to each aquarium. At the end of the experiment, it was determined that adding of red pepper to fish diet did not affect on final weight, weight gain, spesific growth rate (SGR) and feed convertion ratio (FCR). It was determined that body of fish fed addition of red pepper to diet was showed better the color than the control group. a and b values in fish fed with red pepper showed no statistically significant difference (P>0,05). As a result, it was determined that the addition of 3% red pepper to diet of jewelery fish was suitable for coloration and growth.