Vitamin C supplementation improves growth performance and caudal fin regeneration in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the growth performance and fin regeneration rates of zebrafish fed with diets containing levels of vitamin C (Vit C). A basal practical diet was formulated to test six levels of Vit C supplementation (0, 75, 150, 300, 600 and 1,200 mg kg−1). A total of 504 juvenile zebrafish were distributed into thirty-six 8-L aquaria, constituting an experimental design with six treatments and six replicates. After 60 days of feeding, growth performance was evaluated. To analyse the regeneration rates of the caudal fin, 18 fish of each treatment were anesthetized and had part of their fins amputated. To determine the regenerated portion on Days 5, 10 and 15 postamputation, six fish of each treatment were subjected to image analysis. The average weight gain, specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio and final length were positively affected (p <.05) by Vit C supplementation. The diets with higher dietary concentrations of Vit C presented the best results regarding tissue regeneration. Based on the broken-line regression analysis, it is concluded that the Vit C nutritional requirement for the maximum growth and tissue regeneration of zebrafish juveniles fed with practical diets for 60 days were 188.7 and 897.4 mg kg−1 diet, respectively.