Abstract
In order to investigate the effect of methyl testosterone on the body color, Rhodeus sinensis of juveniles (fifty days postfertilization, 50-DPF) and adults (eighty days post-fertilization, 80-DPF) were divided into six groups, each treatment group
cultured in duplicate, randomly and separately, with 80 ind each. All juveniles and adults were raised, respectively, in the
recirculation aquarium tanks with 500 liters separately. Five treatment groups (TG1, TG2, TG3, TG4, and TG5) were dieted with
17α-methyl testosterone (17α-MT) at different concentration of 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 mg/kg, while the control group was
dieted without 17α-MT. During the 56 days of test duration, the carotenoid content of the test fishes and the carotenoid
deposited in the muscle were researched comparatively. The results showed there was significant pigmentation for 50-DPF
Rhodeus sinensis dieted with 17α-MT at concentration of 40 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg (p <0.05). When Rhodeus sinensis dieted
with 17α-MT at concentration of more than 30 mg/kg, the body color of 50-DPF Rhodeus sinensis started to change obviously
at the 28th day (p <0.05), then sustained coloring to the maximum at the 56th day. While for 80-DPF Rhodeus sinensis, there
was no significant differences between each treatment group and control group (p> 0.05)
