This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of different levels of dietary astaxanthin on the productive performance and stress resistance of Indian mackerel (Rastrelliger kanagurta). The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with 120 of Indian mackerel (with average weight of 7.14±0.01g) in 4 treatments and 3 replicates (n=10 in each replicate) and included: control group without using astaxanthin and another groups (treatment 2, 3 and 4) the amounts of this supplement were 50,100 and 150 mg/kg food. After 60 days of feeding, each treatment was exposed to acute crowding stress for 24 h. The results showed that compared with the control treatments containing astaxanthin showed significantly increase in serum total protein (TP), lysozyme activity and significantly decrease in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity (except to treatment 4) at 24 h after the initiation crowding stress (P<0.05). at 24 h after the initiation crowding stress, the lowest glucose and cortisol levels were observed in the treatment 3 and showed a significant difference compared with control treatment (P<0.05). The highest final weight (FW), specific growth ratio (SGR), condition factor (CF) and the lowest food consumed rate (FCR) were observed in 2 and 3 treatments and showed a significant difference compared with control treatment (P<0.05). Finally, the present results suggest that diet containing 100 mg /kg dietary astaxanthin could improve growth and stress resistance of Indian mackerel.