Estimation of dietary copper requirement of fingerling Indian major carp, Labeo rohita (Hamilton)

The present investigation was conducted to determine the optimal dietary copper requirement of fingerling Labeo rohita (6.5 ± 0.13 cm; 2.46 ± 0.09 g) by feeding seven isonitrogenous (350 g kg−1 crude protein) and isoenergetic (16.7 kJ g−1 gross energy) experimental diets with different concentrations of copper (3.11, 3.63, 4.12, 4.64, 6.13, 9.19 and 15.11 mg kg−1). Each experimental diet was hand-fed to triplicate groups of fish to apparent satiation at 08:00, 12:00 and 16:00 h for 8-week. The group fed with 4.64 mg kg−1 dietary copper exhibited highest (P