Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

THE EFFECTS OF PROBIOTIC FEED SUPPLEMENTATION ON TILAPIA (OREOCHROMIS NILOTICUS) IN COPPER-TAINTED WATER

Aken Puti Wanguyun, Alfiah Hayati and Budi Utomo

Abstract

We have investigated the protective effects of potential probiotics against the copper (Cu) exposure in Tilapia. Fish were exposed to the waterborne Cu at concentrations of 0.75 mg/L, 1.5 mg/L, and 3 mg/L,respectively, with or without probiotics feed for 15 days. Probiotics, containing microbial consortium(Lactobacillus buchneri (DSM 20057), Lactobacillus casei (DSM 20011), Lactobacillus bulgaricus (NBRC13953),and Lactobacillus fermentum (ME3)) were mixed with fish basal diet. Growth performance and total intestinal bacteria were measured at the end of the incubation period. The results showed that there were significant improvement of growth performance and total bacteria population (P>0.05). All fish group with probiotics addition in the fish feed showed significant growth performance. The abundance of total bacteria in the positive control group (C+) was two orders of magnitude higher as compared to the negative control fish(C-) and other treatment groups.