Pigments are responsible for the
wide spectrum of colours in fishes which
is an essential prerequisite for the quality
as they fetch higher price in the
commercial market. As fishes cannot
synthesize their own colouring pigments
de novo, the colouring agents which are
synthesized by some plants, algae and
microorganisms, need to be incorporated
in their diet1, 2. Varieties of colouring
agents are used in aqua industry to impart
colour for the muscle and skin of fishes.
Thus, pigmentation is an important
criterion for fishes, since their colour
affect commercial acceptability.