Effect of Dietary Probiotic Supplement on Growth and Survival of Indian Major Carp Seeds

Two feeding trials were conducted in triplicates for each treatment for a period of 90 days to delineate the effect of dietary probiotic (Problend) supplementation on growth and survival of Labeo rohita and Catla catla fry. Four isonitrogenous (Crude protein: 29.43±0.6%) diets were prepared utilizing the locally available ingredients to which Problend was added at the rate of 0.5 per cent (T₁); 1.0 per cent (T₂) and 1.50 per cent (T₃). Diet without Problend incorporation served as control (T₀). The growth in terms of weight gain (% weight gain) and increment in length was found to be highest in the treatment (T₂) followed by the treatments (T₃ and T₁), respectively as compared to that of control for both the species of fish. The specific growth rate, food conversion ratio and protein efficiency ratio were observed to be highest in case of the treatment (T₂) followed by the treatment (T₃) for both the species of fish under study. The highest overall survival percentage was observed in the treatments (T₂ and T₃) as compared to treatment (T₁) and control (T₀). The results thus obtained in the present investigation indicate that incorporation of Problend at the rate of 1 per cent to the basal diet enhances the growth and survival of L. rohita and C. catla fry.