Improvement of growth and hematological profile of juvenile silver barb (Barbonymus gonionotus) through dietary probiotic (Bacillus sp.) supplementation

A 75 days feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the influence of dietary supplementation of multi-strain (Bacillus sp.) probiotic (22×109 CFU/g) on growth and hematological parameters of Barbonymus gonionotus. A total 270 uniformed size (length 2.40±0.16 cm and weight 4.25±0.01g) fishes were equally and randomly distributed in nine (three treatments each with three replication) glass aquaria of 200L capacity. The control (T1) group was fed with normal feed (Diet 1) and treatment T2 and T3 were fed a feed containing 1% (Diet 2) and 3% (Diet 3) probiotic respectively. Biometry and blood samples of experimental fishes were collected at the end of the experiment. Significantly (p<0.05) best growth performance such as length gain, weight gain, % weight gain, specific growth rate and best feed utilization parameters such as feed conversion ratio and protein efficiency ratio values were observed in fish fed with 1% probiotic supplemented diet than other treatments. Moreover, higher values in hemoglobin, hematocrit, red blood cell and white blood cell were observed in 1% probiotic treated group (T2). Other hematological indices like mean cell volume, mean cell hemoglobin and mean cell hemoglobin concentration values supported the fact that fish fed with probiotic treated diet were healthier. The result suggests that supplementing diet with 1% probiotic could be effectively used as feed supplement for improving growth and health status of B. gonionotus.