Haematological Responses of Heteroclarias Fed Dietary Levels of Alchornia Cordifolia Leaf Meal.

The haematological responses of feeding 35% isonitrogenous dietary levels of 0%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% Alchornia cordifolia leaf meal on Heteroclarias (Heterobranchus bidorsalis x Clarias gariepinus) post fingerlings were assessed. These were fed to the fingerlings, randomly assigned to 5 treatments: 0%-control(TCN), 5%(TA1), 10%(TA2), 15%(TA3) and 20% (TA4) ACLM in 3 replicates of 15 post fingerlings each using 15 plastic aquaria of 250 x 150cm dimension. The fish were fed at 5% body weight twice daily within the experimental period of 56 days. Samples of blood were coollected from the treatments bi-weekly and analyzed to evaluate some of the haematological profile, and data subjected to a one way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The study revealed significant differences among the treatments. The haemoglobin level of the fish on the control diet (5.9g/100ml) and TA2 (5.9g/100ml) were similar, (p>0.05) to TA1 (5.8g) and TA3 (5.58g/100ml). There was no significant difference (p>0.05) between TA1, TA3 and TA4.The red blood cells for TCN (3.0 x 106mm3), TA1 (2.44 x 106/mm3) and TA2 (2.48 x 106/mm3) were significantly different and higher (p 0.05).The white blood cells of the fish TCN (4.75 x 104/mm3) were significantly (p 0.05) from TA1 (23.0 %) and TA2 (23.25%). This was significantly (p 0.05).The MCV value of 107.47mm3 for TA4 was significantly greater (p 0.05).The MCHC values for A. cordifolia leaf meal ranged from 24.85% - 25.37%, but the treatments, were not significantly different (p>0).