Vitamin A supplementation during the reproduction of Astyanax altiparanae females

Abstract

As well as all vertebrates, fish need sources of minerals, lipids, proteins and vitamins to sustain their metabolism and development. Gonadal development is also affected by nutrition, and meeting the nutritional needs of species during ovarian steroidogenesis and oocyte maturation is determinant for egg quality, i.e. the balance between nutrient availability and adequate levels of gonadal steroids contributes for the development of viable gametes. Vitamins are an important source for this process, and among these, the vitamin A (fat soluble), is required for growth, reproduction and development of fish embryos, among others. The low availability of vitamin A in diets can cause delay in gonadal development, in addition to decreasing fertility and hatching rates. This project seeks to investigate the influence of vitamin A supplementation on reproduction of lambari-do-rabo-amarelo, Astyanax altiparanae females. Different levels of vitamin A (0, 1800, 3600, 7200 and 14400 IU / kg of diet) will be added to the diets of the females during a period of 60 days. Some indicators of the gonadal maturation process, such as fecundity, estradiol, lipids and lipoproteins plasma levels. In addition, the levels of vitamin A will be analyzed in the liver, ovaries, as well as variables of the reproductive performance. The results here found will contribute to the knowledge about reproductive nutrition of A. altiparanae in captivity, a basic premise for future studies on broodstock nutrition of native species. (AU)