The effects of dietary vitamin C on mucosal immune responses and growth performance in Caspian roach (Rutilus rutilus caspicus) fry.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of different levels of dietary vitamin C on some skin mucus immune parameters, mucus antimicrobial activity and growth performance of Caspian roach (Rutilus rutilus caspicus) fry. Six hundred sixty Caspian roach (1.4 ± 0.02 g) fry were allocated to 12 tanks (55 fish per tank), and triplicate groups were fed diets containing 0, 1,000, 1,500 and 2,000 mg kg(-1) vitamin C for 60 days. At the end of the trial, the epidermal mucus protein level, alkaline phosphatase and antimicrobial activity against two gram-positive bacteria (Streptococcus faecium and Micrococcus luteus) and gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Serratia marcescens) as well as growth performance were measured. The results demonstrated that feeding on vitamin C significantly elevated skin mucus alkaline phosphatase and protein levels compared to the control group (P < 0.05). However, lysozyme activity was undetectable in both the vitamin C-fed roach fry and the control group. Skin mucus antimicrobial activity was increased following vitamin C administration, and the bacterial growth inhibition zones were significantly elevated in vitamin C-fed roach (P < 0.05). Similar results were obtained in case of the minimum inhibitory concentration of skin mucus. Also fish fed the control diet had a significantly lower weight gain, specific growth rate and condition factor compared to the other treatments (P < 0.05). These results revealed that dietary vitamin C beneficially affects the skin mucus immune parameters and growth performance of Caspian roach fry.