Histometry and Growth Performance of African Catfish, Clarias gariepinus, (Burchell, 1822) Fed Probiotics Supplemented Diets

The histometry, organosomatic parameters and growth performance of African catfish, Clarias gariepinus fed with commercial probiotics, Lactobacillus pentosus supplemented diet was assessed in the present study. Six experimental diets were formulated, at different inclusion levels of Lactobacillus pentosus of 0, 102,104, 106, 108and 1010 cfu in T1, T2, T3, T4, T5 and T6 respectively. C. gariepinus were stocked into concrete tanks of 1.93 m by 1.93 m by 1.09 m. Each experimental diet was fed to three replicate groups of fish for 42 days. At the end of the feeding, histometrical parameters like mucosal fold length, mucosal fold breadth, mucosal fold area improved with increasing supplementation levels of L. pentosus. There was also significantly better P > 0.05 organosomatic parameters in all treatments with increasing level of supplementation. The best growth performance in term of specific growth rate (SGR) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) was observed in Treatment 3 as 10.49±0.23 and 1.56±0.22 respectively. The enhanced growth performance and histometry in fish fed diets with L. pentosus supplementation resulted in the best biological performance in African catfish at 1.0 g per 100 g of feed representing 104 cfu supplementation level. Therefore the present study shows that L. pentosus can be recommended as an important probiotic in aquaculture.