Archives

The present study was performed to assess the growth promoting potency of dietary Cu in the post
larvae (PL) of commercially important freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii. 99.9% pure
Cu metal was supplemented at 0, 10, 20, 40, 60 and 80 mg kg-1 with the basal diet formulated with
41.78%, 29.37% and 7.69% of protein, carbohydrate and lipid ratio respectively. Cu supplemented
diets were fed to M. rosenbergii PL (initial weight, 0.18 ± 0.02) for a period of 90 days. Significant
(P < 0.05) improvement was seen in survival, growth, activities of digestive enzymes (protease,
amylase and lipase), concentrations of biochemical constituents (total nitrogen, crude protein,
amino acid, carbohydrate and lipid) and mineral salts (Cu, Zn, Fe, Ca, Mg, Na and K) at 10-40 mg
kg-1 Cu supplemented feeds fed PL, whereas, 60 and 80 mg Cu kg-1 supplementation showed negative
performance. There were no significant alterations in activities of enzymatic antioxidants
(superoxide dismutase and catalse), metabolic enzymes (glutamic oxaloacetate transaminase and
glutamic pyruvate transaminase) and lipid peroxidation up to 40 mg kg-1 Cu supplementations,
whereas, 60 and 80 mg of Cu kg-1 supplementations showed significant (P < 0.05) alterations in
these parameters. Hence, the dietary Cu showed toxic effects on M. rosenbergii PL beyond 40 mg kg-
1. Thus, this study suggests that Cu up to 40 mg kg-1 can be supplemented for regulation of survival
and growth of M. rosenbergii PL sustainably.
Keywords: Prawn, Copper, survival, Growth.