Impact of Effective Probiotic Microorganisms (EPMs) on Growth Performance, Hematobiochemical Panel, Immuno-Antioxidant Status, and Gut Cultivable Microbiota in Striped Catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus)

Journal Article

2025

Published in: https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes10110573

antioxidant status; digestive enzymes; growth performance; gut microbiota; hemogram; immune parameters; multispecies probiotics; resistance to Aeromonas hydrophila; serum metabolites; striped catfish

Striped catfish, Pangasianodon hypophthalmus, has recently emerged as a promising candidate
for Egyptian aquaculture owing to its rapid growth; however, under intensive culture, it is
vulnerable to Aeromonas hydrophila. The efficacy of dietary supplementation with effective
probiotic microorganisms (EPMs) in enhancing growth performance, feed utilization, physiological
health, and disease resistance of P. hypophthalmus against A. hydrophila challenge
was evaluated. A 90-day feeding trial was conducted with 300 fish randomly distributed
into four triplicate groups (25 fish per replicate) reared in 12 indoor fiberglass tanks: a
control and three groups receiving EPMs at inclusion levels of 1.5%, 3%, and 4.5%. The
results showed significant, dose-dependent improvements across all EPMs-supplemented
groups in survival, growth rates, feed utilization, and hematological parameters (RBC, Hb,
PCV, WBC, and lymphocytes). Dietary EPMs led to significant improvements (p ≤ 0.001)
in digestive efficiency, protein and lipid metabolism, antioxidant enzyme activity, immune
performance, and the ability of striped catfish to withstand A. hydrophila infection. Hepatobiliary
enzyme activities (ALT, AST, and ALKP), glucose levels, lipid profile markers,
and hepatic MDA exhibited a significant linear decrease (p ≤ 0.0001) with increasing EPMs
levels. The gut microbial composition showed a dose-dependent increase in beneficial
lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and a reduction in TAPC, pathogenic coliforms (TFCC), and Vibrio
spp. (TVC). These results demonstrate the dose-dependent effects of EPMs on enhancing
aquafeed efficiency, overall health, and innate immunity in striped catfish.

• Publication Work Type: Article
• Publisher Name: MDPI
• Publishing City: Riyadh
• Volume Number: 10
• Issue Number: 573
• Magazine \ Newspaper: Fishes
• Pages: 1-33