BASILS AS NUTRACEUTICALS TO MODULATE STRESS OF TILAPIA IN AQUAPONICS SYSTEM

Nile tilapia were cultured in a small-scale aquaponics system and checked for growth and disease resistance.  Tilapia were divided into two groups- controlled and stressed, each group with two replicates, and were fed basil-supplemented commercial feed. A bsolute feed intake, feed conversion rate, protein energy retention, protein production value, and condition factor were examined for physiological responses. M acrophage phagocytic capacity and lysozyme activity were examined for immunological responses. Fish were sampled frequently over a six-week long experimental period. Fish fed control diet and fish fed basil-supplemented diet had better growth parameters including overall condition factors compared to stressed fish groups. Fish fed basil-supplemented diets had also better lysozyme activity but not macrophage phagocytosis compared to stressed fish groups. These results confirmed the hypothesis that nutraceuticals are better supplementations to modulate stress in farming conditions and to prevent diseases.