Long-term effects and interactions of dietary vitamins C and E on growth and reproduction of yellow perch, Perca flavescens

This study was conducted to examine the effects of dietary vitamin C and/or E and their interaction on growth and reproductive performance in yellow perch. Yellow perch juveniles were divided into four treatments with triplicate groups and fed with one of four semi-purified diets for 32 weeks. The experimental diets were formulated to contain no or high vitamin E levels (160 mg/kg) without or with vitamin C supplementation (250 mg/kg) designated as diets - C - E, - C + E, + C - E, or + C + E, respectively. The growth rates and survival of yellow perch fed with + C - E and + C + E diets were significantly higher than the fish fed with - C - E diet. Total- and dehydro-ascorbate concentrations in liver and testis increased in response to its dietary supplementation. The alpha-tocopherol concentration in sperm was significantly affected by dietary supplementation of vitamin C. Gonadosomatic index of males was lower in the fish fed with - C - E diet compared to that of fish fed with other diets. Hatching rates of embryos obtained from testing sperm viability was significantly improved in fish fed with the diets sufficient in vitamin C (82 +/- 7%) compared to the fish fed with the - C - E diet (59 +/- 7). This study indicates that supplementation of dietary vitamin C and E increase growth rate, and semen quality can be improved by dietary vitamin C supplementation within one maturation cycle, and vitamin C may spare sperm vitamin E depending on vitamin E stores in tissues. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.