Growth performance of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)‎ fingerlings fed diet supplemented with different of spirulina platensis levels

Abstract EN

The present study was designed to evaluate the use of spirulina (Spirulina platensis) as a replacement of different protein levels for Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fingerlings.

Spirulina was incorporated into four isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets at 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20% of the protein -based diet.

The diets were fed to the fishat satiation twice a day for 56 days.

The final weight gain, specific growth rate, protein efficiency ratio and survival rate of fish were significantly (p<0.05) higher for group of fish fed diet supplemented with 20% Spirulina platensis from diet protein.

The lowest feed conversion ratio was obtained for group of fish fed 20% Spirulina.

There was a significant difference (p<0.05) in protein and lipid in carcass proximate composition of the fish fed on diet replacement with 20% spirulina from diet protein compared to those on the experimental groups.

Moreover, fish fed diets containing different spirulina levels exhibited higher protein, serum creatinine, urea, albumin, globulin, triglycerides HDL-C values.

On contrary, significant (P<0.05) decreased was observed for Albumin /Globulin Ratio, LDL-CAST, ALT and AST values compared with the control.

Serum protein (g/dl), creatinine (mg/dl), urea (mg/dl) albumin (g/dl), globulin (g/dl) and triglycerides (mg/dl) values weresignificantly increased (P<0.05) with the increase of Spirulina levels being the highest at T4 (20% Spirulina/kg) diet.

This study demonstrates that up to 20% of spirulina replacement was most effective in stimulating fish growth for Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fingerlings.