Protective effect of probiotic diets on haematobiochemical and histopathology changes of Mystus montanus (Jerdon 1849) against Aeromonas hydrophila

Objectives: To evaluate the protective effect of probiotic diets on haemotobiochemical and histopathology changes of Mystus montanus against Aeromonas hydrophila (A. hydrophila). Methods: Three experimental groups of fish were fed with a diet supplemented with Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus) (Sporolac), comprising about 0.1 g, 0.2 g and 0.3 g. Control group of fish were fed without L. acidophilus. After 60 d of feeding the fishes in experimental group were injected with 1 mL of A. hydrophila and were supplemented with probiotic diets. The control group fishes were injected with 1 mL of physiological saline solution alone. Results: Blood samples were collected for haematobiochemical analysis, while samples of the liver, and gills were examined for path histology after 7 d of infection. The result showed that the growth parameters, weight gain, specific growth rate were better in infected group maintained on the probiotic diet compared to those in control group. The haematology parameters, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, red blood cell, white blood cell, total serum protein, Mg 2+ , Ca 2+ , Cl, glucose, cholesterol and total immunoglobulin concentration and the pathohistology of the liver, gills were better in the infected fish maintained on the probiotic diet than those in the group fed the control diet. Conclusions: The result of the present study showed that L. acidophilus is useful as a probiotic agent in Mystus montanus against A. hydrophila