HEALTH STATUS, PRODUCTION PERFORMANCE INDEX AND HISTOPATHOLOGICAL CHANGES IN Clarias gariepinus JUVENILES FED ONION (Allium cepa) BULB AND WALNUT (Tetracarpidium conophorum) LEAVES EXTRACTS SUPPLEMENTED DIETS

Abstract

The study investigated the health status, production performance index and histopathological changes in Clarias gariepinus juveniles fed onion bulb (OB) and walnut leaves (WL) supplemented diets. The experimental diet of composed control (0%), OB2 (0.5%), OB3 (1.0%), OB4 (1.5%), OB5 (2.0%), WL6 (0.5%), WL7 (1.0%), WL8 (1.5%) and WL9 (2.0%). The fish (6.41±0.01g) were replicated twice with 20 fish per replicate and were fed twice daily at 3% body weight for twelve (12) weeks. Mean weight gain, survival rate, production performance index, condition factor and histology of the fish (gill, intestine, liver, muscle, kidney and testis) were determined using a standard method. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and ANOVA at P=0.05. The values of weight gain, survival rate, and production performance index were significantly higher (P <0.05) in the treated groups compared to the control. The well-being of the fish was better in the treated groups compared to the control and there was a significantly different (P<0.05) among the dietary groups. No lesion was observed in the testis, kidney, gills, and intestine of the treatments except in control while generalized fatty degeneration and multifocal mild necrosis with mononuclear infiltration were observed in the liver among all the treatments. This study suggests the potential effects of onion bulbs and walnut leaves in the diet of C. gariepinus and could positively enhance the growth and health status of C. gariepinus juveniles.