Requirement of Carp for Dietary Zinc

Abstract

Carp weighing 1.9g and 1.5g on the average were fed purified diets containing different amounts of zinc for 12 and 16 weeks, respectively, The rearing water contained zinc at a level of 10μg per ι. Dietary zinc levels were found to affect not only the appetite, growth rate, and mortality of the carp, but also the levels of zinc, iron, and copper in the tissues. The fish fed the diet containing 1ppm zinc suffered from erosion of the skin and the fins. The requirement of carp for dietary zinc was proved to be 15 to 30ppm of the dry diet under the present experimental conditions.