Effects of dietary powdered Ficus deltoidea on the growth and health performance of African catfish, Clarias gariepinus production

• Published in: Fish physiology and biochemistry 2024-12, Vol.50 (6), p.2563-2582
• Main Authors: Abdul Kari, Zulhisyam, Sukri, Suniza Anis Mohamad, Téllez-Isaías, Guillermo, Bottje, Walter G., Khoo, Martina Irwan, Guru, Ajay, Tayyeb, Jehad Zuhair, Kabir, Muhammad Anamul, Eissa, El-Sayed Hemdan, Tahiluddin, Albaris B., Wei, Lee Seong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aeromonas hydrophila - physiology; Albumins; Animal Anatomy; Animal Biochemistry; Animal Feed - analysis; Animal Physiology; Animals; Aquaculture; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Blood; Blood cells; Blood levels; Catalase; Catfish; Catfishes - growth & development; Clarias gariepinus; Conversion ratio; Diet; Diet - veterinary; Dietary Supplements; Digestive enzymes; Disease resistance; Feed additives; Feed conversion; Ficus; Ficus deltoidea; Fish; Fish Diseases - microbiology; Food additives; Food conversion; Freshwater & Marine Ecology; Freshwater fishes; Globulins; Glutathione; Glutathione peroxidase; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections - veterinary; Growth factors; Haemoglobin; Heat shock; Heat shock factors; Heat shock proteins; Hemoglobin; Histology; Hsp90 protein; Intensive aquaculture; Intensive farming; Intestine; Leukocytes; Life Sciences; Liver; Liver - metabolism; Lymphocytosis; Lysozyme; Morphology; Parameters; Peroxidase; Population decline; Proteins; Septicaemia; Septicemia; Superoxide dismutase; Transforming growth factor-b1; Villus; Whitefish; Zoology
• ISSN: 0920-1742; 1573-5168; 1573-5168
• DOI: 10.1007/s10695-024-01403-9

Intensive aquaculture causes a decline in the health status of fish, resulting in an increased disease incidence. To counteract this, feed additives have been utilized to improve the growth performance and health of aquaculture species. This work specifically investigates the impact of powdered Ficus deltoidea (FD) on various parameters related to growth, blood parameters, liver and intestine morphology, body proximate analysis, digestive enzymes, antioxidant capacity, and disease resistance to motile Aeromonad Septicemia (MAS) caused by Aeromonas hydrophila infection in African catfish, Clarias gariepinus . Four formulated diets were prepared: T1 (0% FD), T2 (0.5% FD), T3 (0.75% FD), and T4 (1% FD). After 8 weeks, the African catfish’s growth performance fed with the T2 diet exhibited a substantial improvement ( p < 0.05), along with a remarkably lower ( p < 0.05) feed conversion ratio (FCR) when compared to the other treatment groups. Blood parameter analysis revealed notably higher ( p < 0.05) levels of white blood cell (WBC), lymphocytosis (LYM), hemoglobin (HGB), albumin (ALB), globulin (GLOB), as well as total protein (TP) in the T2 diet group. While all treatment groups displayed normal intestinal morphology, liver deterioration was observed in groups supplemented with higher FD. The T2 diet group recorded the highest villus length, width, and crypt depth. Protease and lipase levels were also notably improved in the T2 diet group compared to other treatment groups. Additionally, catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were remarkably elevated in all FD diet groups than in the control group. The expression of immune-related genes, including transforming growth factor beta 1, heat shock protein 90, nuclear factor kappa-B gene, and lysozyme G, was upregulated in all treatments. Overall, the results of this study indicate that incorporating dietary FD at 0.5% concentration in the diet of African catfish may enhance their productivity in intensive farming.