Effect of agar and alginate on growth performance and levels of leukocytes and erythrocytes of Tilapia Oreochromis niloticus

Abstract

The use of immunostimulants is an effort to increase the immune system in fish. Agar and alginate are phycocoloid derived from seaweed which function as immunostimulants. Research data collection was carried out for 60 days at the Aquaculture and Toxicology Environmental Research Installation, Cibalagung - Bogor. The container used is an aquarium with a size of 60 × 40 × 50 cm, using an aeration system with a stocking density of 15 fish / aquarium. The fish used was tilapia Oreochromis niloticus with an initial weight of 4.36 ± 0.01 g. The research method used was a laboratory experimental using a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. The research treatment is the use of agar and or alginate in feed. Treatment A was control feed without agar or alginate; treatment B was feed containing alginate; Treatment C was feed containing agar and treatment D was feed containing agar and alginate, with 1% dose for each treatment. Parameters measured were absolute weight growth, specific growth rate, survival rate and blood profile (leukocytes and erythrocytes). The results showed that the addition of agar and or alginate to the feed did not have a significant effect on growth and survival, but had a different effect on the profile of white blood cells (leukocytes) compared to the control. Between alginate treatment (B), agar treatment (C) and agar + alginate treatment (D), agar treatment (C) showed the highest value in weight gain (10.437 ± 0.65 g), specific growth rate (3.06 ± 0.08% / day), and survival (100 ± 0.0%). Whereas for blood profile, treatment B had the highest leukocyte levels, namely 9.89 × 104 cells / mm3 and treatment C had the highest erythrocyte levels, namely 1.71 x106 cells / mm3. The conclusion of this study was that the addition of agar and/or alginate in feed did not affect the growth and survival of tilapia but was able to increase the number of fish leukocytes.