Author(s): Hany M. R. Abdel-Latif, Riad H. Khalil

Abstract: Fodder additives using medicinal plants or plants extracts can be considered as a novel trend for control of fish diseases and hoping to achieve the same results as in the use of antibiotics and to overcome the problem of antibiotic resistance. The aim of our research is mainly focused to evaluate two different herbal additives on growth performance, antioxidant and immune potentiating effects. Ropadiar powder plus® (Ropadiar) (Oregano essential oil) and Jade Spirulina® (Spirulina platensis) were evaluated separately and used as feed additives for cultured Nile tilapia whereas; a total of six treatments, i.e., negative control group (Fed on basal diet without herbs), three groups fed on Spirulina diets (2.5 %, 5% and 10%) and others fed on Ropadiar diets (5 % and 10%) to investigate their effects on the growth performance, body composition and serum antioxidant activity. After eight weeks of feeding, all fish were experimentally challenged with pathogenic Vibrio alginolyticus and mortalities were daily recorded for six days post infection. Results showed that fish fed on 10% Ropadiar diet significantly enhanced the growth performance, promoted the deposition of muscle protein and enhanced serum antioxidant activities of treated fish. Moreover, all fish groups fed on diet with 10 % Spirulina and both concentrations of Ropadiar reduced the cumulative mortality percentage (%) following infection, but the lowest mortality rate was observed in the group fed with 10 % Ropadiar diet. It can be concluded that both tested Phytobiotics have an ideal growth promoting and immune enhancing effects for cultured Nile tilapia and they can successfully replace the addition of antibiotics in fish diets.

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