EFFECT OF GARDEN CRESS (Lepidium
sativum) AND WATERCRESS (Eruca sativa) SEEDS

ON SOME PHYSIOLOGICAL PROFILES

AND REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE IN

NILE TILAPIA (Oreochromis niloticus)

Amany A. Gharieb

Hatchery fish physiology dept.,
central laboratory for aquaculture research center, Egypt.

Abstract

     Medicinal herbs have curative powers and are used in making medicines because of their healing properties. The present study provides a probable insight on the beneficial effects of medicinal plant in improving fertility and physiological parameters of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) through the effect of dietary graded levels (0, 1, 1.5 & 2 %) of garden cress (Lepidium sativum) and watercress (Eruca sativa) seed meal. A total of 126 male and female of O. niloticus at average body weights of 163.49±4.65 g were distributed as sex ratio 1:2 ( one male per two female) at a density of 6 fish per a glass aquaria in for 6 weeks. The obtained results revealed improving effect of this feed additive (garden cress and watercress seed meal) on Hematological parameters such as red blood cells (RBCs), hematocrit (Hct), hemoglobin (Hb, RBCs) index (MCV, MCH & MCHC) as well as, glucose, total protein, albumin and globulin levels and also AST, ALT, Creatinine and uric acid. The most enhanced results were obtained from addition of 1% garden cress to fish meal followed by 1% of watercress compared to the controls and other treatments. Also, addition of 1% of garden cress (T2) in diet of O. niloticus accelerated hatching and gave highly dynamic seed production after 4th week. At the end of the 5th week, females, O. niloticus hatched and produced less efficient seeds in T5 (1% of watercress). On the other hand, the females in control group (T1) and other remaining treatments (T3, T4, T6 & T7) were hatched at the end of the experiment (6th week) but less in number and efficiency.

Keywords: Oreochromis niloticus, Garden cress, Watercress, Reproduction, Physiology.