Trivalent chromium (CR+3) in dietary carbohydrate and its effect on the growth of commonly cultivated fish

Abstract

Trivalent chromium (Cr+3) is an essential trace mineral for fish bio-physiological functions. Researches on Cr+3 in the form of organic compound indicated that the mineral affected the bio-activity of insulin, the blood glucose influx, and subsequently the blood glucose metabolic rate. By increasing the blood glucose metabolism, dietary carbohydrate will be more efficiently used as a main energy source, thereby, dietary protein could be efficiently retained as for somatic growth. Researches on various feeding habits of fish (e.g. gouramy-herbivorous fish, tilapia-omnivorous fish, and catfish-carnivorous fish) showed that dietary Cr+3 in certain amount increased diet utilization and the fish growth.