Addition of OptiLisina® to the diet of juveniles of the axolotl Ambystoma velasci for their growth and survival

Abstract

The axolotl Ambystoma velasci is an endemic amphibian of Mexico, due to different environmental and anthropogenic pressures the wild populations have decreased, for which it is listed in NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010 as a species subject to special protection. An important aspect for their well-being, development, and adaptation in captivity is offering a varied diet; however, there are no studies on the nutritional requirements of this genus of salamanders. In captivity, one of the favorite foods of this amphibian is the mudworm Tubifex spp., but live food does not always cover the nutritional requirements, therefore, strategies are sought to improve the quality of the food, one of them is its enrichment, incorporating supplements, such is the case of the OptiLisina® formula, which is an herbal supplement characterized by being a source of lysine, which when added to the diet has a positive influence as a growth promoter. The objective of this study was to evaluate the parameters of growth, food consumption and survival with the addition of OptiLisina® to the diet of A. velasci juveniles under captive conditions. The experimental design consisted of a trial with 120 individuals of 110 days of age distributed in three levels of OptiLisina® (0, 0.5 and 1.0 g/kg) added to the Tubifex spp., with four repetitions each. The growth in weight and height was recorded to calculate the productive parameters and to be analyzed in a Completely Random Design using orthogonal linear and quadratic polynomials to evaluate the effect of the herbal supplement (P<0.05) in the Software, R. The results of the diet did not show linear or quadratic effects on productive parameters (P> 0.05). More studies are needed on the nutritional requirements of this amphibian, in order to carry out better feeding strategies for the species and favor its maintenance in captivity.