Department of Aquaculture, College of Fisheries, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur-313 001, India.
Dietary copper requirement for the fingerlings of Heteropneustes fossilis was evaluated using isocaloric purified diet, supplemented with graded levels of copper {i.e. 0 (control), 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 mg/kg}. Significant growth parameters, viz., weight gain, specific growth rate (SGR) and gross conversion efficiency (GCE) were noted with lowest food conversion ratio (FCR) at a level of 3 mg Cu/kg diet. Fingerlings fed with Cu-deficient diet showed sign of sluggishness and poor growth with low specific growth rate, gross conversion efficiency and high food conversion ratio. Fingerlings fed with Cu-supplemented diets were found to improve protein, fat and carbohydrate contents. Significant RBC count in fingerlings was recorded at 3 mg Cu/kg diet.
