EFFECT OF SPIRULINA ENRICHED DIET ON GROWTH AND HEALTH OF OREOCHROMIS NILOTICUS AND PROTECTIVE EFFECT AGAINST INFECTION WITH AEROMONAS HYDROPHILA

EFFECT OF SPIRULINA ENRICHED DIET ON GROWTH AND HEALTH OF OREOCHROMIS NILOTICUS AND PROTECTIVE EFFECT AGAINST INFECTION WITH AEROMONAS HYDROPHILA

Abdelhakeem El-Murr.¹; Abd Elhakim, Y.¹

and Badawi, M. El-Sayed²

¹Department of Fish Diseases and Management, ²Dept. of Nutrition and Clinical Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Egypt.

Abstract

Effect of dietary supplementation with Spirulina platensis on growth performance, innate immune response, and disease resistance in Oreochromis niloticus against Aeromonas hydrophila infection is reported. Two hundred and forty O. niloticus with average body weight 33±1 g were distributed randomly into four triplicate groups. Fish were fed on four different diets, the control diet (without spirulina additive), while the three other supplemented diets contained Spirulina at 0.5, 1 and 1.5 % respectively for two months. The fish fed with 1% Spirulina enriched diet and control group were inoculated with pathogenic strain of A. hydrophila.

The results showed that the fish fed Spirulina enriched diet showed significant increase in final body weight, gain percent and specific growth rate. Also, fish fed Spirulina enriched diet showed significant increase in immunoglobulin M and lysozyme. Supplemented diet with Spirulina has protective fish against the infection with A. hydrophila. It advisable to incorporate 1% Spirulina enriched diet for maximum growth performance, immunity and protection against the infection with A.hydrophila in O. niloticus.

Key words: Spirulina, Oreochromis niloticus, growth, Immunity, Health status.