Effect of different levels of dietary inulin supplementation on growth performance, survival and some hematologic indices in Red Pacu Piaractus brachypomus fry

Present study aims to determine suitable dose of inulin in Piaractus brachypomus fry diet and its effect on growth, survival and some hematologic indices in this species. In this research, one basic diet as control and three experimental diets including three levels of 1, 2 and 3% inulin each with three replicates were considered. Fish with mean initial weight of 2.31±0.14g were fed with experiment diets for 8 weeks. Results showed that the level of 2% prebiotic inulin in diet caused the increase of final weight gain and specific growth rate and improved food conversion rate (P<0.05). Furthermore, the level of 2% prebiotic inulin in diet increased the amount of blood hemoglobin and hematocrit compared to other treatments (P<0.05). Protein efficiency rate, survival rate and blood total protein was not significantly different among treatments. Results of this research revealed that using the level of 2% prebiotic inulin in red Pacu diet causes the improvement of growth and nutrition function as well as some blood immunologic factors in this species.