Synergetic effects of dietary iron and copper nanoparticles and comparison with their inorganic forms on growth performance and hematological parameters of Sistan’s loach Schizothorax zarudnyi Nikolskii, 1897

Iron and copper are two essential trace elements or micronutrients that play important roles in many vital biological processes, key enzymes and the immune system. In this study, the effects of feeding with different sources of iron and copper supplements on growth performance and some blood parameters of Schizothorax zarudnyi with an average weight of 23.97 ± 0.45 g were investigated. Within 60 days of study, dietary treatments were included fish fed with: 1) the basal diet without any copper and iron supplement, 2) diet containing 150 mg of mineral iron supplement per kg of diet, 3) diet containing 3 mg of mineral copper supplement per kg of diet, 4) diet containing 150 mg of mineral iron supplement and 3 mg of mineral copper supplement per kg of diet, 5) diet containing 150 mg of iron nanoparticles supplement per kg of diet, 6) diet containing 3 mg of copper nanoparticles supplement per kg of diet, 7) diet containing 150 mg of iron nanoparticles supplement and 3 mg of copper nanoparticles supplement per kg of diet. The results showed that supplementing diet with iron and copper improves the growth and blood parameters compared with the control; and iron and copper nanoparticles especially simultaneous use of them (treatment 7), act more effectively than their mineral forms; as the fish in treatment 7 showed the best growth and feeding results compared with the other treatments. Fish in treatment 7 also showed the highest values in all blood parameters and there were significant differences in hematocrit, hemoglobin and total amount of erythrocyte indices compared with the other treatments. MCV and MCH indices in treatment 7 exhibited significant difference compared with the control (P<0.05). According to the results of this study, simultaneous use of two nanoparticles of iron and copper leads to the improvement of growth and blood indices of Sistan’s loach more effectively than their separate supplementation or their mineral forms.