Scientists tested a special mix of four plant extracts as fish food to help catfish fight off harmful parasites. They fed young catfish different amounts of this herbal mixture for 8 weeks, then exposed them to parasites that attack fish gills. Fish that ate the plant mixture grew bigger, stayed healthier, and survived parasite attacks much better than fish eating regular food. The best results came from adding about 6 grams of the plant mix per kilogram of fish food, showing that natural plant remedies might replace expensive chemicals currently used in fish farming.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether feeding fish a mixture of four plant extracts could help them grow better and fight off gill parasites
  • Who participated: Young hybrid catfish weighing about 14.5 grams each, fed different amounts of herbal plant mixture for 56 days
  • Key finding: Fish eating the plant mixture grew significantly larger and survived parasite attacks much better than fish on regular diets
  • What it means for you: This research applies to fish farming, not human health, but shows how natural plant compounds may offer safer alternatives to chemical treatments

The Research Details

Researchers created five different fish foods with varying amounts of herbal extract (0, 2, 4, 6, or 8 grams per kilogram of food). The herbal mixture contained extracts from four plants: Tridax procumbens, Mitrascapus scaber, Mucuna pruriens, and Carica papaya. Young hybrid catfish were fed these diets six times daily for 56 days. After the feeding period, all fish were deliberately exposed to Gyrodactylus malalai parasites for 14 days to test their resistance. Scientists measured fish growth, survival rates, and various health markers throughout the study.

This controlled feeding trial design allows researchers to directly compare the effects of different herbal extract amounts while keeping all other factors the same. The deliberate parasite exposure mimics real-world conditions fish farmers face.

The study used proper scientific controls and measured multiple outcomes over a reasonable timeframe. However, the sample size wasn’t specified, and this represents just one study that would need replication to confirm results.

What the Results Show

Fish fed the herbal plant mixture showed dramatically better results across multiple measures. They grew significantly larger, had better survival rates when exposed to parasites, and showed improved overall health markers. The optimal amount appeared to be around 6 grams of herbal extract per kilogram of fish food. Fish eating this amount had the best combination of growth and parasite resistance. The herbal mixture seemed to boost the fish’s natural immune system, helping them fight off the gill parasites that normally cause serious problems in fish farms.

The study also found that fish eating the herbal mixture had better antioxidant status, meaning their bodies were better at protecting against cellular damage. This suggests the plant compounds were working at a fundamental level to improve fish health beyond just parasite resistance.

This appears to be the first study testing this specific combination of four plant extracts against this particular fish parasite. Previous research has shown individual benefits of some of these plants, but this combination approach is novel.

The study was conducted under controlled laboratory conditions and may not perfectly reflect real fish farm environments. The research focused on one specific type of catfish and one parasite species, so results might not apply to other fish or parasites.

The Bottom Line

For fish farmers, this research suggests that adding around 6 grams of this herbal mixture per kilogram of fish food may help improve fish growth and parasite resistance. However, more studies are needed before widespread adoption.

This research is most relevant to fish farmers, aquaculture researchers, and those interested in natural alternatives to chemical treatments in animal agriculture. It doesn’t directly apply to human nutrition or health.

The study showed benefits after 56 days of feeding, with parasite resistance tested after an additional 14 days. Fish farmers might expect to see growth improvements within 2 months of implementation.

Want to Apply This Research?

Use the Gram app to:

  • While this fish study doesn’t directly apply to human nutrition tracking, users interested in natural health approaches could track their intake of similar antioxidant-rich plants
  • Users could explore incorporating more natural, plant-based antioxidants into their diets, similar to how these plants benefited fish health
  • Track consumption of antioxidant-rich foods and monitor overall wellness markers over time to see if natural plant compounds benefit human health

This research was conducted on fish, not humans. The findings do not constitute medical advice for human health conditions. Always consult healthcare professionals before making dietary changes or using herbal supplements for health purposes.