Major vitamin deficiency signs reported in fish
Vitamin Salmonids Channel catfish Common carp
A Skin depigmentation,

exophthalmia, corneal thinning, retinal degeneration edema, ascites

 Exophthalmia, edema,

skin depigmentation,

 Skin depigmentation exophthalmia twisted opercula hemorrhagic areas
D Impaired calcium homeostasis, tetany of skeletal muscle Low bone ash, potassium and calcium contents Not tested
E Skin depigmentation ascites, fragile erythrocytes,muscular dystrophy Skin depigmentation exudative diathesis muscular dystrophy fatty liver Exophthalmia lordosis, muscular dystrophy, pancreatic degeneration
K Prolonged blood clotting hemorrhagic gills and eyes Hemorrhagic skin Not tested
Thiamin Nervous disorders, loss of equilibrium, hyper-irritability convulsions Dark skin colouration, loss of equilibrium Nervousness, skin depigmentation subcutaneous hemorrhage nervousness
Riboflavin Dark pigmentation, spinal deformities, photophobia fin and eye hemorrhage Short-body dwarfism Photophobia, dermatititis fin and abdominal hemorrhage
Pyroxidine Epileptiform convulsions hyperirritability, erratic spiral swimming Nervous disorders, tetany erratic swimming greenish coloration Nervous disorders low hepatopancreatic transferase
Pantothenic acid Clubbed gills, distended operculum, atrophied pancreatic acinar cells Clubbed gills eroded epidermis exophthalmia Clubbed gills skin hemorrhage
Niacin Skin, fin and colon lesions photosensitivity, sunburn, ascites Skin and fin lesions,exophthalmia, deformed jaws Skin hemorrhage, mortality
Biotin Degenerative gill lamellae skin lesions, muscle atrophy, reduced hepatic acetyl CoA and pyruvate carboxylase degeneration of pancreatic acinar cells Skin depigmentation, reduced hepatic pyruvate carboxylase Lethargy, increased number of dermal mucous cells
Folate Serious anemia, bibbed erythrocytes dark skin coloration sensitivity to bacterial infection Mild anemia, bibbed erythrocytes, increased None detected
B2 Microcytic hypochromic anemia fragmented erythrocytes Reduced growth low hematocrit None detected
Choline Fatty liver, exophthalmia extended abdomen, hemorrhagic kidney and intestine Enlarged liver, hemorrhagic kidney and intestine Fatty liver, vacuolization of hepatic cells
lnositol Dark skin coloration, distended abdomen, reduced activity of cholinesterase and transaminase None detected Loss of skin mucosa
Ascorbic acid Hemorrhagic tissues, hemorrhagic exophthalmia, distorted gill filaments, lordosis and scoliosis, ascites Hemorrhagic areas,reduced bone collagen,lordosis and scoliosis Poor growth
8Major deficiency signs include anorexia, mild anemia and poor growth; they are not listed unless those are the only signs observed. Mortality means high and rapid mortality and thus might be useful for distinguishing some vitamin deficiencies