Responses of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fed diets containing different concentrations of moniliformin or fumonisin B1

Abstract Responses of Nile tilapia in terms of growth, histological anomalies, and biochemical changes to subchronic and toxic concentrations of fumonisin B 1 (FB 1 ) and moniliformin (MON) were evaluated under controlled environmental conditions. Nile tilapia fingerlings (2.7 g) were fed diets containing 0, 10, 40, 70, 150 mg/kg of either FB 1 or MON for 8 weeks. These mycotoxins were obtained from Fusarium moniliforme or Fusarium proliferatum culture materials, respectively. Among tilapia fed diets containing MON, fish fed either 70 or 150 mg MON/kg diet had significantly ( P 1 at levels of 40 mg/kg or higher had significantly lower mean weight gains than the control fish. Mortality was low; differences in percent survival among diets were not observed. Hematocrit was significantly reduced only in fish fed diets containing 150 mg of FB 1 or MON/kg diet. Serum pyruvate levels were significantly higher than control fish for all tilapia fed MON. The ratio between free sphinganine and free sphingosine (SA/SO) in liver increased significantly in fish fed the diet containing 150 mg FB 1 /kg. No histopathological lesions were observed in tilapia fed diets containing either MON or FB 1 . Responses of Nile tilapia in this study to dietary FB 1 and MON demonstrate that both mycotoxins are toxic to tilapia and could reduce the productivity of this fish.