Effects of Partial or Total Replacement of Fish Oil by Unrefined Peanut Oil on Growth and Chemical Composition of Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio)

Unrefined peanut oil was evaluated as a partial or total replacement of fish oil in diets for common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and growth performance, feed utilization, and biochemical status were examined. Three isonitrogenous (34.5% protein) and isolipidic (12.8% lipid) experimental diets were fed to satiation to triplicate groups of 10 common carp (29.57 +/- 0.44 g), each, for 60 days. At the end of the experiment, total replacement of the fish oil by peanut oil did not affect growth, feed utilization, or ash, protein, or moisture content in the carp body. Hepatosomatic and viscerasomatic indices increased as the content of peanut oil increased but did not significantly differ between treatments (p<0.05). Serum total protein, globulin, and triglyceride significantly increased as the content of peanut oil increased while glucose decreased. There was no definable trend in cholersterol. In conclusion, replacement of 50% dietary fish oil with unrefined peanut oil had no adverse effect on the growth performance, biochemical parameters, or general health (survival) of common carps.