Effect Some Medicinal Plants Diets on Mono Sex Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), Growth Performance, Feed Utilization and Physiological Parameters

Abstract

Thirteen experimental diets containing 30% crude protein and 438.09 Kcal gross energy/100g were formulated to contain six different medical plants fenugreek meal (FM),Trigonella foenum-graecum; fenugreek sprouts meal (FSM); eucalyptus fresh leaves (EFL), Eucalyptus citriodora; hot pepper meal (HPM) Capsicum frutescens L. var. abbreviatum; thyme seeds meal (TSM) Thymus vulgaris and chamomile flowers meal (CFM), Matricaria recutita Lat three different levels (0.00; 1.00 and 2.00%) from each of such medicinal plant on the growth performance,feed utilization and whole body composition and physiological parameters of Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus fry. Fish were reared in twenty six glass aquaria with an average initial weight of 0.82 ± 0.3g/fish. The results of the present study illustrated that the averages of growth performance and feed utilization values as affected with medicinal plant sources indicate that FSM showed the highest growth performance and feed utilization values (P≤0.05) followed in a significant decreasing order by fenugreek meal (FM) and eucalyptus fresh leaves (EFL) then by hot pepper meal (HPM)and both Thyme meal (TM) and Chamomile flowers meal (CFM),respectively. Regardless of medicinal plants sources, The analysis of variance for medicinal plant levels (MPL) indicate that supplementation level of 1% revealed significant (P≤0.05) the highest growth performance and feed utilization values followed in a significant (P≤0.05) decreasing order by 0.00 and 2.00% level,respectively. Concerning the interaction between medicinal plants sources and their levels (0.00,1.00 and 2.00%) the highest growth performance and feed utilization values (P≤0.05) were obtained by group 1% FSM (diet No.4),while the lowest was recorded by the group 2% TSM (diet No.11).On the other hand, the interactions between medicinal plants sources and their levels observed the lowest total plasma protein(g/dl), total plasma lipid (g/dl), Hb (g/dl), Ht (%), AST (U/L), ALT (U/L) and uric acid concentrations (mg/dl) parameters were obtained by group 1% FSM (diet No.4),while the highest parameters were recorded by the 2% TSM (diet No.11). In general, and based on the obtained results it could be concluded that addition of 1% LMP to the diet which contain FSM is considered optimal for growth of mono-sex Nile tilapia,O. niloticus,fingerlings without any adverse effect on fish health.