Effects of dietary Capparis spinosa fruit powder on growth performance and reproductive traits of Sailfin molly (Poecilia latipinna).

Sadiq Jwad Muhammed; Hawraa Tahseen Al-Toblani

Authors

Sadiq Jwad Muhammed Aquaculture Unit, College of Agriculture, University of Basrah, Basrah https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2117-5718
Hawraa Tahseen Al-Toblani Aquaculture Unit, College of Agriculture, University of Basrah

Keywords:

Capparis spinosa, Poecilia latipinna, reproductive performance, sperm quality, dietary supplementation, aquaculture nutrition.

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the effect of dietary supplementation with dried caper fruit (Capparis spinosa) powder at different percentages (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5%) on fertility indicators and reproductive performance of Sailfin molly (Poecilia latipinna). The experiment lasted 90 days and included 120 fish (60 males and 60 females), divided into four treatments with three replicates per treatment. The results indicated the superiority of the T2 treatment (1% caper fruit powder), recording the highest values for the number of offspring per birth (37.4 ± 2.6), offspring survival rate (88.3 ± 2.4%), and sperm viability (84.2 ± 2.7%), in addition to a significant increase in hormone levels (testosterone, estradiol, follicle-stimulating hormone/FSH). Luteinizing hormone (LH) was also affected. A significant improvement in feed conversion ratio (FCR) was observed in the same treatment (P<0.05). This positive effect is attributed to the rich content of phenolic, flavonoid, and alkaloid compounds in caper fruit, particularly rutin, quercetin, It can be concluded that adding 1% caper fruit powder represents the optimal level for improving fertility and reproductive performance in Sailfin molly

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