The Role of Ascorbic Acid in Fish Disease and Tissue Repair

Salmon, trout, char, carp, aquarium fish and probably many more kinds of fishes develop specific avitaminosis C symptoms when denied dietary sources of ascorbic acid. Clinical aspects of this deficiency disease are dramatic attesting to the essential function of this diet ingredient in normal processes. Subclinical manifestations of the disease may play even more important roles in resistance to bacterial or viral infection, and certainly adequate ascorbate circulating and tissue storage levels would be critical deter-minants for repair of those tissues damaged by parasitic invasion or physical contusions.