EFFECT OF GARLIC ON THE SURVIVAL, GROWTH, RESISTANCE AND QUALITY OF OREOCHROMIS NILOTICUS

Sixteen hundred Oreochromis niloticus were divided equally among five groups, each comprising four equal sized replicates, to evaluate the efficiency of a garlic-supplemented diet (10 and 20 g kg-1 diet fed) in the performance of O. niloticus. Group (1) was the control (fed on base diet). Groups (2 & 3) were fed on garlic-supplemented diet (10 and 20 g kg-1 diet fed) for one month, respectively, and groups (4 & 5) were fed on same doses of garlic-supplemented diet for two month, respectively. All groups were fed on the base diet after the periods of garlic-supplementation until Month 8. Body weight and blood parameters were recorded. Challenge infection with pathogenic Aeromonas hydrophila, was carried out immediately after feeding the test diets as well as Month 8. Survival and individual body weights were recorded at the end of the trial. Studies on fish quality and shelf-life were als