Filed studies on some probiotics to minimize hazard effects of prevailing heavy metals contamination for improving immunity and growth performance of Oreochromis niloticus

AIM The objective of the present study was to determine the effect of some types of probiotics to minimize the hazard effect of cadmium on Oreochromis niloticus (O. niloticus) and to determine the influence of probiotics on the growth performance and immune status of O. niloticus. METHODS Fish were divided into four groups, the first one was fed on a diet without any additives (control group), and the second group was fed on diet with the addition of 0.1 from (LC50) of cadmium 32 ppm in water. The third group was fed on a diet containing 1 gm/kg of Lactobacillus acidophilus. The fourth group was fed on a diet containing 1 gm/kg of L. acidophilus with 0.1 addition from (LC50) of cadmium 32 ppm. RESULTS The experiment lasted about 60 days which resulted in an improvement in growth performance, with a decrease in the number of micronucleus formation in the group which received the probiotic. The group which was affected with cadmium showed decrease in the growth performance with increase in the number of micronucleus formation while the group which received probiotics and treated with cadmium had significant improvement in growth performance and decreased in the number of micronucleus formation. CONCLUSIONS Probiotics decrease cadmium pollution.