Effect of Adding Tribulus Terrestris Extract to the Diets of Nile Tilapia Oreochromis Niloticus Larvae on Sex Ratio and Growth Performance

Document Type : Original Article

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Department of Fish Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract

Our study was conducted to obtain the effect of Tribulus terrestris extract (TTE) on growth performance, feed utilization, fish body composition, some blood parameters, sex-ratio and sexual hormones of Nile tilapia larvae. Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) is fed dietary with TTE (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2) g TTE/Kg diet and 17 α-methyl testosterone (17- α MT) hormone (60 mg 17- α MT/kg diet). The experiment consisted of six treatments (Control, TTE0.5, TTE1, TTE1.5, TTE2 and 17- α MT). The treatments with TTE and 17- α MT were stopped after four weeks, and then the growth experiment continued for 14 weeks. Results indicated that TTE2 treatment showed better growth performance and feed utilization compared to 17- α MT treatment, as well as fish chemical composition. A significant improvement (p < 0.05) was detected in total protein, Globulin and Triglycerides in all treatments compared to control. While there were non-significant differences (p>0.05) in albumin and GPT between all treatments. As for the ratio of mono-sex male, 17- α MT and TTE2 treatments recorded the highest (p < 0.05) percentage of male, followed by TTE1.5, TTE1 and TTE0.5 treatments, respectively compared to the control. As for the sexual hormones, a significant increase (p < 0.05) was showed in TTE0.5, TTE1, TTE1.5 and TTE2 treatments, respectively compared to the 17- α MT treatment. In short, this study recommends adding TTE to the diets of Nile tilapia fry to obtain a mono-sex male, in addition,it improves the growth performance.

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