Original Article EFFECTS OF PROBIOTICS AND SPIRULINA SUPPLEMENTATION ON HAEMATO-IMMUNOLOGICAL FUNCTION OF CATLA CATLA

A growing concern for the high consumption of antibiotics in aquaculture has initiated a search for alternative methods of disease control. Improved resistance against infectious diseases can be achieved by the use of probiotics. An experiment was conducted to determine the hemato-immunomodulatory role of Indian Major Carp Catla catla, fingerlings for period of 105 days. In the present study to investigate the effects of probiotics and spirulina on hemato-immunomodulatory role in common carp (Catla catla). Two probiotic organisms (the bacteria Lactobacillus acidophilus and the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and a single cell protein (Spirulina maximus) were incorporated into diets at concentrations of 1%, 2%, or 3%. The control diet contained no supplement. Spirulina maximus at 3% produced the best and statistically significant (p<0.01) in hematological parameters RBC (1.32±0.08), WBC (8100±550.8), Hb (6.12±0.41), PCV (16.94±1.15), MCV (128.33±0.87), MCH (46.36±3.15) and MCHC (36.12±2.45) and the immunological parameters Lymphocyte (50.21±3.41), Lysosome activity (82.82±5.63), Monocytes (52±3.53), Alternate Complement Pathway (ACP) (128±0.87), IgM (7.21±0.49), Phagocytic Index (2.21±0.15) and Phagocytic activity (PA) (25.68±1.74) compared to other probiotic diets and control. The present investigation shows that incorporation of a probiotic and spirulina in diets for common carp results in increased hematological and immunological performance. Spirulina diets were most effective in stimulating immunity.