Abstract
Growth and all activities of fish depend significantly on the food they consume. However, with the rising price of conventional feedstuffs, there is a need to investigate less expensive and readily available plant source as an additive. This research is designed to study the effect of dietary Aloe vera on the growth performance of Oreochromis niloticus juveniles (41.71±0.78g) and its effect on genotoxicity (MN: Micronucleus; LB: Lobed; BD: Bud; BL: Blebbed; BN: Binucleated; NT: Notched). This research investigated the growth performance and genotoxicity activity of Oreochromis niloticus juveniles in a tank culture system. Aloe vera (fine powder) was used as a test ingredient in the feed formulation at five inclusion levels (T1 = 5g, T2 =10g, T3 =15g, T4 =20g, T5 =25g) and the Control diet (C0) without the test ingredient. Test diets were fed to Oreochromis niloticus juveniles, and each diet was assigned to the treatments and control overall in triplicates. Feeding with test diets was for twelve (12) weeks at 5% of their total body weight daily, which was divided into two and administered at 8 hrs and 16 hrs. The result showed that the highest growth rate (10.99 ± 5.49g) and the lowest FCR (0.68 ± 0.08) were recorded in the fish fed with the Control diet (C0). Better growth and nutrient utilization were achieved at low inclusion levels of Aloe vera, at 5g(T1) (8.98 ± 4.49) and 10g (T2) (6.73 ± 3.28) compared to the higher levels of incorporations of the test ingredient. The mean pH and temperature (°C) and dissolved Oxygen level mg/L are 6.50±0.30, 26.3±0.60 and 4.48±0.52mg/L respectively. The values of micronuclei for the cultured Oreochromis niloticus juveniles were recorded to be (T1 = 5.50 ± 0.50, T2 = 2.00 ± 1.00, T3 = 2.00 ± 0.00, T4 = 2.50 ± 1.50, T5 = 4.00 ± 1.00, and C0 = 7.00 ± 2.00). Nuclear abnormalities were recorded in T2 (BD = 1.00 ± 0.00), T3 (NT = 1.00 ± 0.00), T4 (BD = 1.33 ± 0.47, BN = 3.33 ± 0.47), and T5 (BN = 5.33 ± 0.47, LB = 3.00 ± 1.00, BL = 1.67 ± 0.47) . However, no abnormality was recorded in the fish fed with the Control diet (C0). This result showed that the slight addition of this Aloe vera to the diet of Oreochromis niloticus would enhance productivity.
Highlights
Aloe vera is well known plant in tribal community but modern lookout and makes it therapeutic important
Growth Performance of Oreochromis niloticus Fish fed with the Control diet (C0) gave the best growth performance
The highest body weight gain (10.99±5.49) was recorded for fish fed with the Control diet (C0), while the least weight gain (3.73±1.86) was recorded for fish fed with Test diet 5 (25g inclusion of Aloe vera)
Summary
Aloe vera is well known plant in tribal community but modern lookout and makes it therapeutic important. Since it is used in Ayurvedic, Homeopathic and Allopathic medicine because various research support that it contains vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, natural sugar and other bioactive compounds(Akhilesh and Rarawt, 2017).
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