This study was to investigate the effect of feed pigment on the skin color and antioxidant capacity of Larimichthys crocea. Four isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets were formulated by adding 0 mg/kg (D1), 100 mg/kg (D2), 200 mg/kg (D3) and 300 mg/kg (D4) xanthophylls and astaxanthin mixture (1:1) into the basal diet. 1 800 healthy L. crocea with an average body weight of （365.54?5.83） g were selected and randomly divided into four groups with three replicates per group and 150 fish per replicate. The experimental fish were respectively fed four diets for 60 days. The results showed that the yellowness value（b*）of the dorsal and ventral skin of the L. crocea was significantly higher than that of the control group (P <0.05) after 30 d feeding. At the end of the experiment, the redness value (a*) of the ventral skin in D2 group was significantly higher than that of other experimental groups (P <0.05), while no significant difference in the brightness value（L*）and redness value（a*）of dorsal and ventral skin were observed among other groups. Also, no significant differences in the yellowness value（b*）of dorsal and ventral skin were observed among experimental groups (P >0.05), but they were significantly higher than that in D1 group (P<0.05). The total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in the liver of L. crocea were increased with the increasing level of pigment in the diet. However, an opposite result was found on the liver malondialdehyde (MAD) content. In conclusion, the supplementation level of xanthophylls and astaxanthin mixture (1:1) for improving the skin coloration and antioxidant capacity of large yellow croaker was suggested to be 100～200 mg per kg diet under this experimental condition.
