Nutritional Efficacy of Kappaphycus alvarezii Sap Supplementation on Growth and Body Composition of Labeo rohita
Rathod A G.
Department of Aquaculture, College of Fisheries, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur - 313001, India.
Sharma O P.
College of Fisheries, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur - 313001, India.
Patil K D.
Department of Fisheries Biology, College of Fisheries, Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Ratnagiri - 415629, India.
Meshram S N.
Aquatic Animal and Health Management, Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Mumbai - 400061, India.
Dhawad B R.
Aquatic Environment Management, Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Mumbai - 400061, India.
Rathod R H. *
College of Fishery Science, Morshi, Dist. Amravati, Maharashtra Animal & Fishery Science University, Nagpur - 444905, India.
Ghatge S S
College of Fishery Science, Morshi, Dist. Amravati, Maharashtra Animal & Fishery Science University, Nagpur - 444905, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The global aquaculture sector faces sustainability challenges due to the high cost and environmental burden of formulated feeds. This study investigated the potential of using red seaweed Kappaphycus alvarezii sap as a functional dietary supplement to enhance the performance of Labeo rohita (rohu) fingerlings. Rohu fingerlings were fed a commercial basal diet coated with graded inclusion levels of K. alvarezii sap (Control: 0%, T1: 5%, T2: 10%, T3: 15%, and T4: 20%) over a 60-day feeding trial. Water quality and survival remained optimal across all treatments. Results showed a significant dose-dependent improvement in growth performance and feed utilization efficiency in the sap-supplemented groups compared to the control (p<0.05). The 20% inclusion level (T4) exhibited the most significant enhancement, resulting in the highest cumulative net weight gain (66.30 g vs. 45.73 g in control), the best specific growth rate (SGR: 0.28% vs. 0.18% in control) and the most efficient Food Conversion Ratio (FCR: 1.670 vs. 2.237 in control). Furthermore, the carcass proximate composition, including crude protein (52.9% in T4 vs. 50.0% in control) and lipid levels, was significantly improved in the T4 group, indicating enhanced nutrient assimilation. These findings suggest that K. alvarezii sap functions as a highly effective, practical and non-diluting biofunctional feed additive. Its soluble compounds enhance metabolic efficiency and growth without negatively impacting nutrient digestibility, offering a promising, eco-friendl, and cost-effective strategy for improving productivity in freshwater carp culture.disc
Keywords: Labeo rohita, Kappaphycus alvarezii, seaweed sap, aquafeed, growth performance, Food Conversion Ratio