Effect of natural β-carotene from-carrot (Daucus carota) and Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) on colouration of an ornamental fish - swordtail (Xiphophorus hellerii)

The present experiment was conducted to evaluate the impact of two natural b-carotene vegetable sources viz., carrot (Daucus carota) and spinach (Spinacia oleracea) for inducing colouration in an ornamental fish swordtail (Xiphophorus hellerii). The Experimental fish were cultured for 35 days in aquarium tanks. The experimental diets were prepared with two natural vegetable sources viz. carrot (Daucus carota) and spinach (Spinacia oleracea) and fed to the fish once a day at 3 percent of their body weight to supply 20, 25 and 30 mg of b-carotene individually per 100 g of diet. There were 6 experimental diets three for each b-carotene sources and 1 common control diet (devoid of b-carotene). The water quality in the entire aquarium was maintained periodically. The proximate analysis of the experimental diet was also carried out but doesn’t depict any significant changes in their composition. The colour intensity and prominence of orange colour increased in the fish with diets enriched with natural b-carotene sources viz., carrot (T1, T2 and T3) and spinach (T4, T5 and T6). Red-orange colour pigmentation was highest in fish fed with a carrot. The hue angle (h°) and yellow-orange colour intensity was found significantly high (P