Effect of Dietary Carotenoids on Skin Color and Pigments of False Clownfish, Amphiprion ocellaris, Cuvier

This study evaluated the role of supplemented dietary carotenoids in regulating the skin color and pigments of the false clownfish, Amphiprion ocellaris. Three carotenoid types, such as astaxanthin, beta-carotene, and canthaxanthin, were added to the basal diet at four pigment doses (0, 20, 50, and 100 ppm). Carotenoid diets were feed for 5 wk and then withdrawn from the diet for three additional wk during an 8-wk trial. The dose of each diet did not change the overall color hue, brightness, or saturation, but astaxanthin was the only carotenoid that enhanced red hue by the end of Week 5. The withdrawal of astaxanthin from the diet did not reduce the red hue, but reduced saturation. In contrast, the withdrawal of dietary beta-carotene or canthaxanthin reduced color saturation and brightness, but did not affect color hue. Dietary astaxanthin increased skin astaxanthin in Week 1 and skin zeaxanthin in Week 5. The withdrawal of astaxanthin escalated skin canthaxanthin and zeaxanthin by Week 8. Dietary beta-carotene suppressed skin beta-carotene, but enhanced skin zeaxanthin by Week 8. Although skin canthaxanthin was enhanced by dietary beta-carotene from Week 5 onward, dietary beta-carotene at 100 ppm maximized skin canthaxanthin by Week 8. Interestingly, dietary canthaxanthin suppressed skin canthaxanthin and zeaxanthin, but increased beta-carotene. This study suggests that astaxanthin has the potential to enhance the red hue on clownfish skin and its withdrawal from the diet did not fade the red hue of the skin.