EFFECT OF CANNABIS ON GROWTH AND METABOLISM OF NILE TILAPIA Oreochromis niloticus.

Indian hemp, marijuana, pot, hashish, or Cannabis sativa is a hardy plant with a wide range of environmental tolerances including temperature variation and drought conditions. Although it is an excellent plant for semi-arid regions, it is forbidden in many nations because of its psychoactive effects. Lately, the beneficial properties of the plant extract are becoming better understood and perceptions are changing. As the aquaculture industry matures from a primitive extensive pond system to an industrialized intensive filtered system, fish stress and disease incidence are going to increase. In the present work we investigated whether cannabis oil extract would relieve stress, improve growth and feed conversion, and/or improve disease resistance. Three diets were made to contain either soy oil, industrial hemp oil or cannabis oil and offered to tilapia for eight weeks. At termination, survival, growth, feed conversion and blood parameters were assessed. Fish were returned to their tanks, offered the same feeds as during the experiment and respiration assessed. Results are in the table below. Cannabis extract was found to have a negative effect on fish growth and also increased metabolism. Cannabis had no effect on blood cell counts, total plasma protein, hematocrit or lysozyme activity.