Influence of Processed Mustard Seed Meals on Growth and Health Parameters in Indian Major Carps

The current investigation focuses on intertwined relationships of ecology and aquaculture for the benefit of farmers involved in fish farming practices. The study evaluated glucosinolate reduction in black, brown, and white mustard meals as fish feed ingredients for Indian Major Carps. Fish were fed with 10% mustard meal-supplemented diets in three forms: Raw (R), Anti-nutritional Rich (AR), and Anti-nutritional Lowered (AL), alongside a control group using floating feed. The three-month indoor experiment (September-November 2023) was conducted in FRP tanks with triplicate treatments. Blood analysis revealed compromised health in AR-fed carps, with reduced hemoglobin levels in rohu, catla and mrigal and elevated total leukocyte counts indicating inflammation in all the three carps studied here. Liver function was impaired in AR-fed fish, shown by increased alanine transaminase levels, highest in rohu followed by mrigal and catla. Histopathological examination of AR-fed carps liver tissue revealed necrotic spots, deformed hepatocytes, and significant vacuolation. In contrast, AL-fed fish demonstrated improved health parameters through Complete Blood Count analysis, liver function tests, and histo-pathological observations, suggesting successful reduction of anti-nutritional factors in the processed mustard meals. In near future, replacement of unprocessed seed meal with processed seed meal will lead to economic gains in fish farming.