LAUSR

ABSTRACT An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of Lactobacillus plantarum on the production of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus). Five experimental diets containing 0, 103, 105, 107, and 109 CFU of Lactobacillus plantarum g−1 diet (T1–T5 treatments respectively) were fed to African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) (9.20 ± 0.1 g initial body mass), for 70 days. Results indicated significantly lower growth performance in the fish fed diet without probiotics and in those fed diet with the least probiotic level. Treatments with probiotics significantly improved the blood profile and carcass protein but significantly reduced the carcass fat (P < 0.05); these treatments also marginally improved the carcass minerals in comparison with the treatment without probiotic (P < 0.05). Challenging the fish fed the experimental diets with Salmonella typhi showed higher immunity of fish fed the probiotic diets than those fed the nonprobiotic diet. Duncan’s multiple range test showed that the best fish performance was observed with 103 CFU g−1 L. plantarum for very parameter measured. However, regression analyses showed the optimum level of the bacteria to be 104.13–105 CFU g−1