Feeding Artemia nauplii enriched with the probiotic bacterium Bacillus subtilis improved growth performance, survival and digestive enzyme activity of Clarias batrachus (Linnaeus, 1758) larvae

Clarias batrachus (Linnaeus, 1758) larvae were subjected to different modes of probiotic (Bacillus subtilis) administration such as: T1: feeding Artemia nauplii enriched with B. subtilis; T2: feeding enriched Artemia nauplii + addition of B. subtilis in water and T3: addition of B. subtilis in water alone, for a period of 14 days. A control group (T0) with no probiotic administration was also maintained. On termination of the experiment, probiotic supplemented through enriched Artemia nauplii along with addition in water (T2) yielded significantly (p<0.05) higher length, weight, weight gain, specific growth rate and survival compared to control (T0) and T3 groups. All these parameters did not differ significantly (p>0.05) between T1 and T2. Similar trend was observed in the case of total gut bacterial count and digestive enzyme activity. The highest (p<0.05) digestive enzyme activity of protease, lipase and amylase were recorded in T2, while no significant (p>0.05) difference was observed between T2 and T1. The present study reiterated the advantage of B. subtilis, and its administration through enriched Artemia nauplii which could be a promising supplementation mode during C. batrachus larval rearing.