Short communication: The effects of Chlorella vulgaris supplementation on growth performance, blood characteristics, and digestive enzymes in Koi (Cyprinus carpio)

Abstract

Microalgae are a wide group of photosynthetic heterotrophic organisms consisting of vital amino acids, protein, minerals, vitamins, chlorophylls and some forms of antioxidants and bioactive substances (Yamaguchi, 1996; Kwak et al., 2012). According to Takeuchi et al. (2002), microalgae are valuable in aquaculture and have been utilized as live feeds for larval or juvenile crustaceans and finfish, for all bivalve mollusks including oysters, scallops, clams and mussels and as a feed for zooplankton in aquaculture. Microalgae are well provided sources of vitamins, fundamental amino acids, minerals, vital fatty acids, and carotenoid pigments for aquatic animals (Takeuchi et al., 2002). Many kinds of microalgae in feeding trials with fish increase growth (protein accretion), feed utilization, physiological activity, stress response, starvation tolerance, disease resistance, carcass quality (Mustafa and Nakagawa, 1995), carotenoid , and protein sources for shrimp (Patnaik et al., 2006; Regunathan and Wesley, 2006).