Utilization of shrimp head powder to enhance color performance and growth of multicolor betta fish (Betta splendens)

Betta splendens is an ornamental fish with a variety of color variations, which is one of the main factors determining its selling value. One of the variants of hippopotamus, which is currently in great demand by ornamental fish enthusiasts, is the multicolor hippopotamus. During maintenance, cupang fish often experience a decrease in color quality caused by internal and external factors. One of the efforts to improve color quality is to supplement the feed with ingredients rich in pigments, such as shrimp head flour (TKU), which contains carotenoids. This study aimed to improve the brightness and color performance of hippopotamus by adding shrimp head meal to commercial feed. The method used was a completely randomized design (CRD) with four treatments, namely, control, 5% TKU, 10% TKU, and 15% TKU, each with three replicates. The research procedure included the preparation of shrimp head meal, mixing feed with TKU, fish rearing, and observation of changes in color brightness, weight and length growth, survival rate, and water quality. The results showed that the utilization of shrimp head meal supplemented into the feed improved the performance of brightness and color patterns in multi-colored cupang fish, including length gain during the treatment, with optimum results shown in the 10% TKU treatment.