Lecithin-enriched Artemia combined with inert diet and its effects on reproduction and digestive enzymes of Aequidens rivulatus

Abstract

The present study investigated the effects of soybean lecithin bioencapsulated in adult Artemia franciscana and unenriched Artemia in combination with an inert diet on digestive enzymes activity and reproductive performance in Aequidens rivulatus (green terror cichlid). Eight hundred and ten fish (3.1 ± 0.2 g) were randomly allotted into glass tank (80 L) and assigned to ten dietary treatments with 5 different levels (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100%) of either lecithin-enriched Artemia (EA) or unenriched Artemia (UA) over a period of 90 days. The amount of total polar lipid increased from 39.2% in the unenriched Artemia to 43.7% in the lecithin-enriched Artemia (P < .05). The fish fed with 50% EA had higher total weight, and total length compared with other groups (P < .05). The peculiar functions of total alkaline proteases, α-amylase, and lipase in green terror increased in the groups fed with lecithin-enriched Artemia, compared to the un-enriched groups (P < .05). The highest total alkaline proteases activity was observed in the fish fed with 75% EA treatment. In comparison to the other groups, fish fed 100 and 0% levels of Artemia replacement had significantly highest and lowest α-amylase activity values, respectively. Concerning reproductive performance, the highest average fecundity, egg diameter, egg weight, fertilization, hatching, and larval survival rates, as well as the lowest time between two spawning episodes, were obtained in fish fed 50% EA. In conclusion, this feeding strategy is advisable for a proper nutritional management of broodfish of green terror cichlid.