Efektivitas Pemberian Astaxanthin pada Peningkatan Kecerahan Warna Ikan Molly (Poecilia sphenops)

Abstract

The reduction in color intensity in molly fish (Poecilia sphenops) is a common problem in ornamental fish farming, typically caused by a decrease in the amount of pigments in the fish's body. Carotenoids, particularly astaxanthin, are known to play a role in enhancing the brightness of fish body color. Haematococcus pluvialis is one of the most commonly used sources of astaxanthin for this purpose, with the ability to accumulate astaxanthin up to 5% of its dry weight, making it a potential natural nutrient source in fish feed. This study aims to investigate the effect of adding astaxanthin extract to feed on the color intensity of molly fish and to determine the optimal dose for improving color quality in molly fish. The method used was a non-parametric Complete Randomized Design (CRD) with four treatments and three replicates: A (0 ml astaxanthin), B (5 ml astaxanthin), C (7.5 ml astaxanthin), and D (10 ml astaxanthin). The molly fish used had an initial average TCF score of 19 with a stocking density of 4 fish per jar. The parameter observed was the increase in fish color brightness. The results showed an increase in color intensity in the molly fish, with treatment C (7.5 ml astaxanthin) yielding the highest increase, averaging 21 points on the TCF score. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that adding astaxanthin extract to the feed can enhance the color intensity of molly fish, with a dose of 7.5 ml per 250 grams.