The potential benefits of ripe cultivated banana CV. Kluai Namwa (Musa sapientum Linn.) as a natural feed supplementation in practical diet on growth performance, feed utilization, innate immunity and disease resistance against Streptococcus agalactiae infection in hybrid tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus x O. mossambicus) were evaluated. Fish were fed with the test diet containing different levels of ripe cultivated banana (RCB) supplements (10, 30 and 50 g/kg diet) compared with the negative control and positive control diet for 60 days. Results showed that growth parameters, feed efficiency and lysozyme activity values in the positive control group (vitamins and minerals premix added) were significantly higher than the negative control group (without any premix supplements) but differences among the RCB supplementary diet group and the positive control group were not statistically significant. After challenged with Streptococcus agalactiae, the cumulative mortality of fish in the positive control group was lowest (0%), the percent survivals were 62.22%, 66.67%, 83.33% and 88.89% in the negative control, 10RCB, 30RCB, and 50RCB treatments, respectively. These results showed that the RCB supplementary diets had unaffected on growth performances and could be potential as an immunostimulant to improve fish health for red tilapia aquaculture.

This study aims to increase the utilization of banana peels, a local agricultural by-product, by improving nutrient value and partially reducing the presence of anti-nutritional factors (ANFs) as an alternative ingredient in fish feed. The feasibility of molasses-fermented banana peels (MFBP) as a protein source in a practical diet for hybrid tilapia (Oreochromis spp.) fries was investigated. Five isonitrogenous experimental diets containing 0 (control), 25, 50, 75, and 100% substitution levels of fish meal by MFBP were formulated. Twenty tilapia fries per group with three replicates were fed for eight weeks. The growth performance and feed efficiency values of fish were recorded and evaluated. Fish fed with 0, 25, and 50% MFBP levels showed significantly higher growth parameters, survival rate, and feed utilization efficiency than those fed with 75 and 100% MFBP levels. Although the control diet produced better growth performance and feed utilization efficiency than MFBP-based diets there was no significant difference between fish fed with the control diet and the low MFBP levels (0-50%) diet. Based on the present findings, it could be concluded that the molasses-fermented banana peels (MFBP) could efficiently replace the fishmeal by up to 50% without affecting the growth performance of red tilapia.

Fish bio-extracts (FBE) is fermented water from the decomposition of remaining dead fish by microorganisms of semi-anaerobic conditions derived from the Nile tilapia philosopher technique. There are few studies on dietary FBE for practical FBE utilization. Hence, the effect of FBE and feeding duration on growth performance, innate immunity, and disease resistance was investigated for red tilapia. Fish were divided into 5 groups with three replications. The control group was fed the basal commercial diet which was no FBE. The basal commercial diet was incorporated with FBE at 5 ml/kg feeding regimens were evaluated, including i) feeding every day, ii) feeding every other day, iii) feeding every week, and iv) every other week. After 8 weeks of the trial, red tilapia fed with FBE exhibited significantly (p<0.05) better overall parameters, including growth, feed utilization, and innate immunity, compared to the control group. Moreover, the addition of FBE into diets reduced fish mortality after S. agalactiae infection. The highest values were displayed in fish fed with FBE every day. Thus, the administration of FBE at least 5 mL/kg once a day can be used as a growth promoter and a practical disease prophylactic strategy for cultural management in red tilapia farming.