Application of carotenoids on coloration of aquatic animals

Abstract

Ornamental fish culture in the glass tank is a very common custom around the globe mainly due to their bright coloration and natural stress reliever for the heart patients. Carotenoids are the major compound which imparts coloration to the aquatic animals. Fish lives in the natural water have good sources of carotenoid pigments as compare to fish reared in the glass tanks. This makes differences between both that the wild living animals are nurtured with bright body color than that of aquarium reared fishes. As fish cannot synthesize this de novo, it is a regular additive in the ornamental fish diet. Despite the fish lack of synthesizing the pigments, they have advantage of storing them in the integuments and tissues which will reflect in the skin or flesh color. Aquaculture industries require remarkable attention in respect to colour, as the quality of fish in the market is also determined by the flesh colour. Therefore, pigmentation is a necessary factor for farming fishes as well. As a result, dietary application of pigmentation has considerable importance not only in ornamental fish; but also in farming fishes. The dietary importance of carotenoids, types, sources with respect to colour of the aquatic organisms is discussed in this article.