effects of natural (red bell pepper & tomato) and synthetic (astaxanthin & β-carotene) pigments on flower horn fish (cichlasoma sp.) blood parameters

objective: in this survey, we have checked the effects of natural (red bell pepper and tomato) and synthetic (astaxanthin and β-carotene) pigments on bloods factors of flower horn (cichlasoma sp.). methods: five treatments (three replicates/treatment) were employed. fishes were separated in fifteen equal groups and were fed for eight weeks with diets containing10 g kg–1 red bell pepper and tomato and 100 mg kg-1 astaxanthin and β-carotene. at the end of trial blood samples were taken from 5 fish that caught randomize by cutting the caudal stem. results: results of blood factors showed there is significant differences between wbcs, rbcs, hb, hct and lymphocytes between treatments (p0.05). the results showed that the use of red bell pepper in diets for flower horn is effective and profitable in its ration.