DIETARY PROBIOTICS AND ITS EFFECT ON GROWTH RATE, SURVIVAL RATE, AND FEED CONVERSION RATIO OF Clarias gariepinus

Abstract

The applications of probiotics in aquaculture show wide range of potential benefits. If fish consume probiotics in sufficient and accurate amounts, it can have a beneficial impact on the health of catfish. The study aimed to identify the effect of dietary probiotics supplementation of artificial diet at different doses on the African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) parameters such as specific growth rate, survival rate, and feed conversion ratio. The experiment was performed at the Faculty of Agriculture, Bosowa University, Makassar, and lasted for 2 months. The experiment employed a completely randomized design (CRD) consisting of four treatments and three replicates. The EM4 probiotics were selected as the probiotic supplement and divided into four different doses including treatment: A (5 mL per 100 g feed), B (10 mL per 100g feed), C (15 mL per 100g feed), and D (control). A total of 120 African catfish fingerlings were fed twice every 07:00 a.m. and 06:00 p.m. with a feeding rate of 5% of the body weight. Sampling was performed every week to record catfish body weight and length. The analysis of variance indicated a significant effect of dietary EM4 probiotics supplementation on specific growth rate and feed conversion ratio of African cathfish. However, the result of the experiment revealed 15 mL per 100 g feed did not promote absolute growth rate and survival rate significantly. This study concluded that supplementation of probiotics at a dose of 15 mL per 100 g feed in diet could improve the growth of catfish.

Penerapan probiotik dalam budidaya perikanan menunjukkan berbagai manfaat potensial. Jika ikan mengonsumsi probiotik dalam jumlah yang cukup dan tepat, maka dapat memberikan dampak yang menguntungkan bagi kesehatan ikan lele dumbo. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengidentifikasi pengaruh pemberian probiotik pada pakan buatan dengan dosis berbeda terhadap laju pertumbuhan spesifik, sintasan, dan rasio konversi pakan ikan lele dumbo (Clarias gariepinus). Eksperimen dilakukan di Fakultas Pertanian, Universitas Bosowa, Makassar, dan berlangsung selama 2 bulan. Eksperimen menggunakan rancangan acak lengkap (RAL) yang terdiri dari empat perlakuan dan tiga ulangan. Probiotik EM4 dipilih sebagai suplemen probiotik dan dibagi menjadi empat dosis perlakuan yang berbeda meliputi perlakuan A (5 mL per 100 g pakan), perlakuan B (10 mL per 100 g pakan), perlakuan C (15 mL per 100 g pakan), dan perlakuan D (kontrol). Sebanyak 120 ekor benih ikan lele dumbo diberi pakan dua kali setiap pukul 07.00 dan 18.00 dengan dosis pemberian pakan sebanyak 5% dari bobot tubuh ikan lele. Pengambilan sampel dilakukan setiap minggu untuk mencatat bobot dan panjang tubuh ikan lele. Analisis varians menunjukkan pengaruh yang signifikan dari suplementasi probiotik EM4 pada laju pertumbuhan spesifik dan rasio konversi pakan ikan lele dumbo. Namun, hasil percobaan menunjukkan bahwa 15 mL per 100 g pakan tidak meningkatkan laju pertumbuhan mutlak dan sintasan secara signifikan. Penelitian ini menyimpulkan bahwa suplementasi probiotik 15 mL per 100 g pakan dalam pakan dapat meningkatkan pertumbuhan ikan lele dumbo.