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A 60-day feeding trial was conducted to determine the effects of copper nanoparticles (Cu- NPs) and vitamin C ( VC) on red sea bream. Besides the control diet (D1), six diets were supplemented with Cu- NPs and VC [0/800 (D2), 0/1,000 (D3), 0/1,200 (D4), 2/800 (D5), 2/1,000 (D6) and 2/1,200 (D7) mg Cu- NPs/ VC per kg]. Cu- NP was a significant factor on final weight ( FBW), weight gain ( WG) and specific growth rate ( SGR), feed intake ( FI), feed ( FER) and protein efficiency ratios ( PER), protein gain ( PG) and protein retention ( PR), body protein and lipid contents, protease ( PA) and bactericidal activities ( BA) and tolerance against stress ( LT50%) ( p < .05). In addition, BA and LT50% were significantly affected by either Cu- NPs or VC ( p < .05). Fish fed Cu- NPs or/and VC-supplemented diets showed higher FBW, WG, SGR, PG, PR, FI, PA, LA and BA values when compared with the control group ( p < .05). FER, PER and body lipid content were significantly enhanced in D4, D5, D6 and D7 groups; meanwhile, body protein and LT50% were significantly enhanced in D5, D6 and D7 groups when compared with D1 group ( p < .05). In conclusion, dietary Cu- NPs or/and VC improved growth and health of red sea bream. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 56-day feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of supplemented diets with β-glucan ( BG) at four levels [0 ( D1), 250 ( D2), 500 ( D3) and 1000 ( D4) mg BG kg−1] on red sea bream, Pagrus major. The obtained results revealed a significant increase ( P < 0.05) in final body weight, weight gain, specific growth rate, feed intake, body protein content, lysozyme activity and tolerance against low-salinity stress test in all BG-supplemented groups when compared with BG-free group. Furthermore, D4 group resulted in a significant increase in feed efficiency ratio, protein gain, protein and lipid digestibilities, serum bactericidal activity and peroxidase content when compared with D1 group ( P < 0.05). Haematocrit and plasma protein content in D3 group were significantly higher than those in D1 group ( P < 0.05). Interestingly, BG supplementation decreased glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase ( GOT) in D2 group and reactive oxygen metabolites in D2, D3 and D4 groups when compared with D1 group. Following low-salinity stress test, significantly higher amounts of secreted mucus were observed in fish fed D2 and D4 diets than those from fish fed D1 diet ( P < 0.05). In conclusion, the supplementation of BG improves growth, stress resistance and immune response of P. major. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]