Curcuma longa hydrolate improves nile tilapia survival in a recirculation rearing system, maintaining the animal homeostasis and modulating the gut microbial community

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the dietary supplementation Curcuma longa hydrolate on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) reared in a recirculation system. Hemato-immunological parameters, growth performance, nitrogen and phosphorus retention, as well as body composition and its interaction with the intestinal microbiota, were studied. Nile tilapia fingerlings (120) were distributed randomly in 8 polyethylene tanks (40 L). The experimental units were divided into two treatments, in quadruplicate: commercial diet supplemented with 2.5% of C. longa hydrolate and commercial diet without supplementation (control). After 45 days, the treatment supplemented hydrolate showed higher survival than the control group, 95.25% and 82.22%, receptively. In the blood profile, fish supplemented with hydrolate had a higher count of total leukocytes and neutrophils, as well as mean corpuscular hemoglobin and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, than control group. The hydrolate group showed a substantial increase in the relative abundance of Cetobacterium and Romboutsia, as well as lower diversity in gut microbiota. The dietary addition of C. longa hydrolate for Nile tilapia seems to have a beneficial effect on gut microbiota, in addition to a likely positive effect on the physiological performance of Nile tilapia by maintaining intestinal homeostasis and promoting survival in reared conditions.