EFFICACY OF SIREH EXTRACT Piper betel PREVENTION TREATMENT IN PELLETED FEED AGAINST MOTILE AEROMONAD SEPTICAEMIA (MAS) IN PATIN Pangasius hypopthalmus CAGE CULTURE AT PAHANG RIVER, MALAYSIA.

Padilah, B.*, Rimatulhana, R., Wan Rozana, W.A,R., Siti Hawa, M.A., Shahidan, H.,
Fahmi S., Siti Zahrah, A., Nik Haiha, N.Y. and Zamri Saad, M.
 
*National Fish Health Research Centre, Batu Maung, Pulau Pinang.
Corresponding author: padilahbakar@yahoo.com

Betel leaf sireh extract or scientifically known as Piper betel was used as prevention treatment against bacterial diseases in particular Motile Aeromonad Septicaemia (MAS) caused by Aeromonas hydrophila infection in grow out catfish patin (Pangasius hypopthalmus) culture at Pahang River. The growth performance of patin was measured in body weight (BW g) and total length (TL cm) every week with once a week treatment of sireh leaf extract at 100 mg kg-1 feed. The control group is devoid of sireh treatment. Three sampling locations consisting of two culture sites at the upstream Pahang River (Kuala Krau, Temerloh) and one farm from the downstream river (Pangsenam, Temerloh) were chosen for this study. The fish was cultured in a cage size of 3 m x 6 m  x 1 m with stocking density of 1000 fishes per cage. A total of 250 fishes were sampled from March to September 2015. Bacteria isolation from the internal organs and skin lesions were identified using API Staph, API 20 Strep, API 20E, API 20NE followed by API 50CH bacterial identification system for confirmation of A. hydrophila. Low bacterial prevalence was found in treated fish (29.6%) compared to control (44%).  The growth performance of patin in the treated group was significantly better than the control (p<0.05). The bacterial prevalence (%) of Staphylococcus sp., Plesiomonas Shigelloides, Pseudomonas sp, Klebsiella sp. (5.6%, 12.8%, 3.2% and 2.4%) and other Enterobacteriaceae mix infections (5.6%) were higher in the control group compared to sireh treatment group (0.8%, 4%, 1.6%, 0.8% and 2.4% respectively). Although the bacterial prevalence in the treatment group was predominate by A. hydrophila (16%) compared to control (7.2%), the typical clinical symptoms of MAS was not observed. Sireh leaf extract in feed improve fish appetite thus effective as growth promoter in patin culture.