Effect of dietary Spirulina platensis supplementation on growth, carcass composition, and haematological parameters of pabda (Ompok pabda)

The study was conducted to find out the effects and optimum level of dietary Spirulina platensis (Spirulina) supplementation on growth and haematological parameters of pabda (Ompok pabda). Five experimental diets were prepared containing 33% protein. Different levels of Spirulina (0% as control or S0, S2.5%, S5%, S7.5% and S10%) were supplemented at the expense of fish meal (FM), respectively. Up to 10% of the total dietary protein (33%) in the control diet was replaced by Spirulina protein in the experimental diets. The feeding experiment was carried out in five treatments with three replications for 10 weeks. The water quality parameters viz. ammonia, dissolve oxygen, pH, and temperature were within the suitable range for pabda culture. The best growth performance was observed in the fish fed with 10% Spirulina supplemented feed followed by 7.5%, 5% and 2.5% Spirulina supplemented diet (P ˂ 0.05). Maximum survival rate (98%) and hepatosomatic index (1.37) of pabda was also found in S10% Spirulina group. But the feed conversion ratio (FCR) was decreased significantly (P < 0.05) with the increasing level of Spirulina supplementation which indicated better feed utilization. In case of carcass composition of pabda, the highest percentage of crude protein and ash were observed in fish fed with 10% followed by 7.5%, 5%, 2.5% S. platensis supplemented diet (P ˂ 0.05). Likewise, haematological condition in fish fed with 10% Spirulina supplemented diet resulted better in this study. Therefore, it could be concluded that dietary supplementation of 10% S. platensis protein with FM protein may significantly improve the growth and the haematological parameters of O. pabda.