RELATIVE GROWTH RATE AND SURVIVAL, EFFICIENCY OF FEED UTILIZATION OF NILE TILAPIA (OREOCHROMIS NILOTICUS), AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY BY THE ADDITION OF HERBAL EXTRACT SUPPLEMENTS AS DRUGS AND GROWTH PROMOTERS TO JUVENILE FISHES IN THE FED DIET

The use of herbs as drugs in disease management is gaining success, because herbal drugs are cost effective, eco-friendly and have minimal side effects. Many studies have proved that herbal additives enhanced the growth of fishes and protect them from diseases. Indeed, the herbs/herbal drugs overcome all these problems and keep the fish healthy by acting as growth promoters and treating the diseases as well. A feeding trial, involving the use of four different starter diets for the feeding of Oreochromis niloticus juveniles, was carried out in the laboratory by intensive cage farming technique. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of adding herbal extracts in feed and observations were conducted on efficiency of feed utilization (EFU), relative growth rate (RGR), survival rate(SR) of Nile tilapia fish (Oreochromis niloticus). Fish samples in this research with an average weight of 5.34 ± 0.16 g were selected. The formulated diets consist of Fresh Cocus nucifera milk (CNMe), Ficus sycomorus (FSBe), Suaeda maritima (SMPe), Vulva Proliferans (VPAe ), and regular basal diet with all the natural ingredients. The juvenile fishes were distinctly arranged into 6 groups and fed with control, marketed feed also. Every group was fed with formulated basal feed at time intervals of 4hrs thrice a day at 08.00 am, 12.00 pm and 14.00 pm at the ration of around 14.28g/day over a period of 7 days and varied formulated herbal feed for the next 7 days until 84 days study. The results show that the addition of herbal extracts significantly (P0.05) affected on SR of Nile tilapia. Based on results, it was concluded that growth performance and feed efficiency increased with the use of Ficus sycomorus berries extract and Suaeda maritima whole plant extract. Ficus sycomorus treatment is highly recommended as live food in the growth promotion of the Oreochromis niloticus fish. The protenaceous food from plants is easily available and most widely cultivable in freshwater fish pond environments, its bio-nutrients are readily available/utilizable by the fish and the procurement is highly economical. This technology uses herbal ingredients in formulation thus contributing towards good quality in fish meal and culturing