International Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Research

Authors
Subhas Das, Atanu Patra, Arghya Mandal, Niladri Sekhar Mondal, Apurba Ratan Ghosh

Abstract
The present study intended to investigate the effects of supplementation of choline chloride under direct field pond application in addition to farm-made-aqua-feed on two air-breathing species, Clarias batracus (Magur) and Anabas testudineus (Koi) as well as two Indian Major Carps (IMCs), Catla catla (Catla) and Labeo rohita (Rahu), cultured in a ratio of 2:5:1:1(Catla : Rahu: Magur : Koi) in three ponds: one normal pond (N) with farm-made-aqua-feed only and two with (P1 and P2: considered as T) farm-made-aqua-feed plus choline chloride. Choline chloride was applied directly into the pond water at the rate of 350 g bigha^-1 per 15 days into the P1 and P2 ponds under a semi-intensive system of 90-d culture during the breeding season (June to August). A comparative study on growth performances based on growth parameters was considered. Growth parameters showed a significantly enhanced pattern in % WG (weight gain), SGR % (specific growth rate), survivability rate, PER (protein efficiency reatio), FE (feed efficiency), CF (condition factor), RLG (relative length of gut), and TP (total production), but a reverse pattern was observed in FCR (food conversion ratio), VSI (viscero somatic index) and IPF (intra- peritoneal fat ratio) both in IMCs and Air-breathing fishes under choline supplementation. An increasing trend in HSI (hepato-somatic index) and ISI (intesto-somatic index) in case of IMCs and declining trend of the same in air-breathing fishes were depicted under choline-applied (CA) groups of fishes. Under direct administration of choline into the pond water, the experimental fish species showed improved growth performances, which can subsequently cause an economic profit to the farmers due to increased production.