The effects of interaction of iron and vitamin C on the growth of Labeo rohita Juveniles

A 92-day growth trial was conducted to examine the effects of two dietary levels of vitamin C for each of the three levels of iron from ferrous sulphate (25, 50, 45 ppm) on the growth of L. rohita juveniles (average initial weight 52.49±0.73g). There were six treatment groups with different levels of dietary iron and vitamin C viz., TR-1 (25 mg/kg FeSO₄ and 500 mg/kg vitamin); TR-2 (25 mg/kg FeSO₄ and 750 mg/kg vitamin C); TR-3 (50 mg/kg FeSO₄ and 500 mg/kg vitamin C); TR-4 (50 mg/kg FeSO₄ and 750 mg/kg vitamin C); TR-5 (75 mg/kg FeSO₄ and 500 mg/kg vitamin C) and TR-6 (75 mg/kg FeSO₄ and 750 mg/kg vitamin C). The graded levels of iron, with the combination of 500 and 750 ppm of vitamin C, were used to prepare diets fed to six treatment groups and a control (no supplementation) with three replicates each. Fish fed 75 ppm iron and 500 ppm vitamin C had the lowest weight gain and specific growth rate (SGR) but the highest feed conversion ratio (FCR) regardless of dietary vitamin C level. The results revealed that the supplementation of basal diet with 500 ppm vitamin C and 50 ppm iron significantly (P<0.05) increased the final body weight, net weight gain (NWG) and specific growth rate (SGR). The activities of aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were in the physiological range for fish. The iron content of fish tissue was higher with 500 ppm of vitamin C and 50 ppm of iron combination. Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that the addition of vitamin C (500 ppm) and iron (50 ppm) to the basal diet of L. rohita juveniles increased the growth and is optimum for the growth of rohu juveniles.