Nutritional Efficacy of Spirulina platensis in Enhancing Growth and Survival in the Peninsular Carp fry Labeo jimbriatus(bloch).

Four diets designated as El, E2, E3 and E4 were incorporated with 5, 10, 15 and 20% of spirulina powder, respectively in order to assess the efficacy in promoting growth and survival of Labeo fimbriatus fly. Highly significant (P>O.OI) increase in weight (774.77 ± 75.91%) and length (81.05 ± 7.64%)was observedinGroupE4 followed byE3 (661.50± 67.14 and 76.26± 1.23% respectively. Groups El and E2 recorded poorer growth while the control group showed an increase in weight of 568.36 ± 49.76% and an increase in length of 62.51 ± 5.55%, respectively. The best FCR (2.32 ± 0.39) was obtained with E4 further demonstrating the positive role of spirulina in enhancing the feed intake and conversion efficiency. The percentage of survival in E4 at 91.33 ± 5.03% was significantly higher compared to the Control (75.33 ± 4.62%), indicating that the survival rate in E4 was 2.74 times more when compared to the control group; whereas E3 exhibited 1.52 times more survival compared to control group (C). Increasing spirulina content in feed resulted in a decrease in the carcass fat and an increase in the crude protein content showing spirulina to be an effective protein supplement for Labeo fimbriatus fly.