The study of effect of vitamin C and Achyranthes aspera seeds enriched diets on the growth, biochemical composition, digestive enzyme activities and expressions of genes involved in the biosynthesis of fatty acids in Snow trout Schizothorax richardsonii (Gray, 1832)

ABSTRACT Snow trout, Schizothorax richardsonii (Gray, 1832), is an economically important fish in the Himalayan region. Snow trout fry (118.53 ± 5.42 mg) were cultured in flow-through systems for 60 days. Fry were fed with four different diets containing: 0.08% vitamin C (D1), 0.5% Achyranthes aspera seeds (D2), both vitamin C and seeds (D3), and a control (D4). Average weight (271.82 ± 4.90 g) and specific growth rate (1.39 ± 0.03) were significantly higher in fish fed D3 compared to the others. Digestive enzyme activities were significantly higher in D3 compared to the others. EPA content was significantly higher in D2 (110.33 ± 0.94 mg 100 g−1) and D3 (109.87 ± 1.87 mg 100 g−1); DHA (342.70 ± 0.77 mg 100 g−1) and n-3 PUFA (496.17 ± 1.82 mg 100 g−1) contents were significantly higher in D3 compared to the others. The expression of fads2d6 was significantly higher in D3 (6.70-fold) and elovl5 in D2 and D3 (1.51–1.45-fold) compared to the others. Enriched diets improved fish flesh composition.