Efficiency of Dietary Bacillus subtilis on Growth Performance, Hematology, and Gut Histology of the Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Abstract

The present investigation assessed the impact of nutritional enrichment with Bacillus subtilis on growth performance, hematological indices, physiological biomarkers, and intestinal histology of the Nile tilapia  (Oreochromis niloticus). A total of 120 Nile tilapia (115 ± 0.01 g) were indiscriminately allocated to four dietary groups and were fed experimental diets containing 0.0 (control), 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0g/ kg of B. subtilis for two months. Fish given 2.0g B. subtilis /kg diet showed a substantial improvement (P< 0.05) in growth indicators, such as final weight, weight gain, specific growth rate, and feed conversion ratio. Comparing the 1.0 and 2.0g/ kg groups to the control, haematological data revealed a substantial (P< 0.05) boost in the count of red blood cells, hemoglobin concentration, and haematocrit. Biochemical analysis revealed elevated total protein and albumin concentration in the Nile tilapia given higher probiotic levels. Histological examination of the anterior intestine showed improved villus height and goblet cell intensification, while liver sections exhibited no pathological alterations. The outcomes of the current assessment concluded that dietary insertion of B. subtilis at 2.0g/ kg enhances growth, wellbeing, hemato-biochemical condition, and intestinal health of O. niloticus, suggesting its potential role as a functional probiotic addition in aquaculture.

Keywords