EFFECTS OF STONE BREAKER Phyllanthus niruri LEAVES MEAL ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND IMMUNE RESPONSE IN Clarias gariepinus CHALLENGED WITH Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Abstract

Effects of dietary supplementation of different inclusion levels of Phyllanthus niruri on Clarias gariepinus fingerlings induced with Pseudomonas aeruginosa was evaluated for 4-week. Two hundred and twenty-five (225) C. gariepinus fingerlings with a mean weight of 6.32±0.00g were randomly selected and allocated to five treatments of three replicates and each replicate comprises 15 C. gariepinus fingerlings. The control diet (negative) was without Stone Breaker Leaves (SBL) and the positive control was supplemented with 30 mg/kg Erythromycin. Other diets were supplemented with 1% and 2% of SBL and the combination of SBL and Erythromycin (SBL+ERY) (2%). Growth performance and nutrient utilization were calculated. Haematological and blood biochemical parameters were determined using standard methods. Clarias gariepinus fingerlings were inoculated with P. aeruginosa at 5.94 log₁₀ CFU/ml intraperitoneally and fed with different diets to assess the percentage mortality and their Relative Percentage Survival (RPS). Fish fed treated diets had a higher growth rate than the control and there was significantly different (P < 0.05) among the dietary groups. The values of haematological and blood biochemical were better in the treated groups compared to that in the control group. However, the challenge test revealed that the treated groups recorded lower percentage mortality and a higher relative percentage of survival compared to the control group. The results indicated that supplementation of SBL and their combination with erythromycin (30mg/kg diet) could be used in fish farming to enhance growth performances. It also confirmed that P. niruri is capable of improving the immune response of C. gariepinus.