Question

Broken back condition or scoliosis arises, if fish are fed with diets deficient in

• A. Vitamin A
• B. Vitamin C
• C. Vitamin B12
• D. Essential fatty acids

Hint:

Vitamin C Deficiencies to remember:
1. Fish $\rightarrow$ Scoliosis/Broken back.
2. Shrimp $\rightarrow$ Black death disease.
Because Vitamin C is heat-labile (destroyed by heat), stabilized forms like "Stay-C" are used in pelleted feeds.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Question:
The question asks to identify the nutritional deficiency responsible for causing skeletal deformities like "broken back syndrome" or scoliosis (lateral curvature of the spine) in fish.
Detailed Explanation:

• Role of Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid): Vitamin C is essential for the synthesis of collagen, which is the structural framework for bones, cartilage, and connective tissues.

• Deficiency Symptoms: When fish lack sufficient Vitamin C, they cannot form proper bone matrix. This leads to skeletal weakness and deformities. The most classic symptom is scoliosis (sideways bending) or lordosis (downward bending), collectively known as "broken back syndrome."

• Other Symptoms: Deficiency also causes impaired wound healing, internal hemorrhaging, and "black death" (blackening of the gills/tissues) in shrimp.

• Inability to Synthesize: Most teleost fish (unlike some mammals) lack the enzyme L-gulonolactone oxidase and therefore cannot synthesize Vitamin C internally. It must be provided in the diet.

Step 3: Final Answer:
Broken back condition/scoliosis is caused by Vitamin C deficiency.