Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) and Iron Concentration in Tambaqui, Colossoma macropomum, Iron Absorption

Tambaqui, Colossoma macropomum, were fed with three vitamin C levels and two iron levels for 21 d: Diet 1 without vitamin C and with 30 mg of iron/kg; Diet 2 with 100 mg of vitamin C and 30 mg of iron/kg; and Diet 3 with 100 mg of vitamin C and 300 mg of iron/kg. Mortality was not observed during the feeding experiment. There were no changes in hematological parameters in fish that were fed the different diets. Iron contents in liver, muscle, and plasma were significantly different in fish fed with different iron content in the diets; when associated with vitamin C, changes were observed only for plasma iron. Therefore, tambaqui exhibits varied iron absorption in response to different levels of iron with and without vitamin C, a conclusion consistent with findings for other species of fish.