The Effectiveness Of Herbal-Based Probiotics On The Growth and Feed Utilization Efficiency of Saline Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
Efektivitas Produk Fermentasi Berbasis Bahan Herbal terhadap Pertumbuhan dan Efisiensi Pemanfaatan Pakan Ikan Nila Salin (Oreochromis niloticus)
Abstract
An herbal-based fermented product may be used as a dietary additive in saline tilapia culture. This study evaluated the effects of a fermented mixture made from molasses, a commercial fermented milk drink, baker's yeast, ginger, turmeric, and Java turmeric on growth, feed utilization efficiency, and survival of saline Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). A completely randomized design was applied with four treatments and three replicates: no fermented product (A), 5 mL/kg feed (B), 10 mL/kg feed (C), and 15 mL/kg feed (D). A total of 120 fish, with mean initial length and weight of 4.17 cm and 0.39 g/fish, were reared for 56 days at 20 ppt salinity and fed at 5% of biomass daily. The measured variables included absolute weight and length gain, specific growth rate, feed utilization efficiency, survival, and water quality. Among the tested doses, treatment D had the highest mean absolute weight gain (12.51 g), specific growth rate (6.25%/day), feed utilization efficiency (70.06%), and survival (86.67%). Survival in the control was only 20.00%; therefore, growth and feed utilization differences should be interpreted in light of the high mortality. The final pH of the fermented product was reported as 8.0, while microbial identity and viability in the final product were not established by the reported data. These findings indicate potential value as a feed additive under the experimental conditions but do not establish a probiotic mechanism or an optimum dose beyond the tested range.
References
Abdel-Rahim, M. M., Elhetawy, A. I. G., Shawky, W. A., El-Zaeem, S. Y., & El-Dahhar, A. A. (2024). Enhancing Florida red tilapia aquaculture: Biofloc optimization improves water quality, pathogen bacterial control, fish health, immune response, and organ histopathology across varied groundwater salinities. Veterinary Research Communications, 48(5), 2989–3006. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11259-024-10433-w
Afram, F., Agbo, N. W., Adjei-Boateng, D., & Egna, H. (2021). Effects of feeding strategies on growth performance and economic returns on the production of Nile tilapia in fertilized ponds. Aquaculture Studies, 21(2), 63–73. https://doi.org/10.4194/2618-6381-v21_2_03
Badan Standardisasi Nasional. (2009). Produksi ikan nila hitam kelas pembesaran di kolam air tenang (SNI 7550:2009). Badan Standardisasi Nasional.
Bawono, Y. P., Dewi, K. M., Romadhona, E. I., Widantara, H., Sujatmiko, W., Aliah, R. S., Sutanti, S., Larassagita, A. F., Firmansyah, M. K., Megawati, N., Aslia, Ardiansyah, A. R., Chaidir, I., & Yaniharto, D. (2025). Comparative morphometric analysis of a salinity-tolerant Nile tilapia local strain and its parental strains. Jurnal Medik Veteriner, 8(2), 424–444. https://doi.org/10.20473/jmv.vol8.iss2.2025.424-444
Cahyani, R. D., Satyantini, W. H., Nindarwi, D. D., & Cahyoko, Y. (2021). Addition of turmeric in feed on growth and survival rate of Nilasa red tilapia. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 679(1), 012042. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/679/1/012042
Dawood, M. A. O., Gewaily, M. S., & Sewilam, H. (2022). The growth performance, antioxidative capacity, and histological features of intestines, gills, and livers of Nile tilapia reared in different water salinities and fed menthol essential oil. Aquaculture, 554. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2022.738122
Effendi, M. I. (1997). Biologi perikanan. Yayasan Pustaka Nusatantara.
Fujaya, Y., Hidayani, A. A., Sari, D. K., Aslamyah, S., Rukminasari, N., Muthalib, A., Cristianto, S., Defista, E., Fazhan, H., & Waiho, K. (2023). The optimal dosage of fermented herbal extract on growth and feed efficiency of Nile tilapia. Tropical Life Sciences Research, 34(2), 39–56. https://doi.org/10.21315/tlsr2023.34.2.3
Ghori, I., Tubassam, M., Ahmad, T., Zuberi, A., & Imran, M. (2022). Gut microbiome modulation mediated by probiotics: Positive impact on growth and health status of Labeo rohita. Frontiers in Physiology, 13, 949559. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.949559
Hasan, K. N., & Banerjee, G. (2020). Recent studies on probiotics as beneficial mediator in aquaculture: A review. The Journal of Basic and Applied Zoology, 81(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41936-020-00190-y
Juanda, I. R., Putra, D. F., & Arisa, I. I. (2024). Pengaruh penambahan fermentasi jahe dalam pakan untuk meningkatkan pertumbuhan dan kelangsungan hidup ikan nila. Jurnal Kelautan dan Perikanan Indonesia, 4(1), 19–28.
Karnain, A. S., Hasim, & Juliana. (2023). Pengaruh penambahan probiotik pada pakan FFF-999 dengan dosis berbeda terhadap pertumbuhan dan kelangsungan hidup benih ikan nila. Jurnal Ilmiah Perikanan dan Kelautan, 11(2), 85–91.
Loo, J. van de, Oslan, S. N. H., Mokshin, N. A. S., Othman, R., Amin, Z., Dejtisakdi, W., Prihanto, A. A., & Tan, J. S. (2025). Comprehensive review of strategies for lactic acid bacteria production and metabolite enhancement in probiotic cultures: Multifunctional applications in functional foods. Fermentation, 11(5), 241. https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation11050241
Ma'waddah, R., Sauqina, S., & Istyadji, M. (2022). Penambahan probiotik rabal dari susu fermentasi, ragi tape dan kulit jagung sebagai pakan fermentasi terhadap pertumbuhan dan tingkat keberlangsungan hidup ikan nila. JUSTER: Jurnal Sains dan Terapan, 1(3), 150–157. https://doi.org/10.57218/juster.v1i3.368
Mohammed, E. A. H., Ahmed, A. E. M., Kovács, B., & Pál, K. (2025). The significance of probiotics in aquaculture: A review of research trend and latest scientific findings. Antibiotics, 14(3), 242. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics14030242
Moses, M., Chauka, L. J., Koning, D. de, Palaiokostas, C., & Mtolera, M. S. P. (2021). Growth performance of five different strains of Nile tilapia introduced to Tanzania reared in fresh and brackish waters. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 11147. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-90505-y
Muchlisin, Z. A., Arisa, A. A., Muhammadar, A. A., Fadli, N., Arisa, I. I., & Siti Azizah, M. N. (2016). Growth performance and feed utilization of keureling fingerlings fed a formulated diet with different doses of vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol). Archives of Polish Fisheries, 24, 47–52.
Norry, M. N. D., Lamadi, A., & Tuiyo, R. (2025). Effect of giving Yamogi probiotics (Yakult, molasses, yeast) with different doses on the growth and survival of tilapia fish seeds (Oreochromis niloticus). Jurnal Ilmiah Platax, 13(2), 285–301. https://doi.org/10.35800/jip.v13i2.61029
Nurchayati, S., Haeruddin, Basuki, F., & Sarjito. (2021). Analisis kesesuaian lahan budidaya nila salin di pertambakan Kecamatan Tayu [Analysis on land suitability cultivation of saline tilapia at the pond in Tayu District]. Saintek Perikanan: Indonesian Journal of Fisheries Science and Technology, 17(4), 224–233. https://doi.org/10.14710/ijfst.17.4.224-233
Nurmila. (2021). Pengaruh salinitas terhadap pertumbuhan dan kelangsungan hidup benih ikan nila [Skripsi, Universitas Muslim Indonesia].
Olla, P. C. J., Kusuma, N. P. D., & Amalo, P. (2024). Pengaruh penambahan probiotik terhadap pertumbuhan dan konversi pakan pada ikan nila. Jurnal Megaptera, 3(2), 61–70. https://doi.org/10.15578/jmtr.v3i2.15241
Ringø, E., Van Doan, H., Lee, S. H., Soltani, M., Hoseinifar, S. H., Harikrishnan, R., & Song, S. K. (2020). Probiotics, lactic acid bacteria and bacilli: Interesting supplementation for aquaculture. Journal of Applied Microbiology, 129(1), 116–136. https://doi.org/10.1111/jam.14628
Sallam, G. R., Shehata, A. I., Basuini, M. F. E., Habib, Y. J., Henish, S., Rahman, A. N. A., Hassan, Y. M., Fayed, W. M., El-Sayed, A. M., & Aly, H. A. (2024). Integrated biofloc technology in red tilapia aquaculture: Salinity-dependent effects on water quality, parental stock physiology, reproduction, and immune responses. Aquaculture International, 32(7), 8731–8761. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10499-024-01588-z
Surianti, S., Hasrianti, H., Wahyudi, W., & Irwan, M. (2021). Effect of fermented rice bran flour in artificial feed on survival rate and feed conversion ratio of tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. Jurnal Iktiologi Indonesia, 21(3), 267–276. https://doi.org/10.32491/jii.v21i3.591
Syaifullah, M., & Satyantini, W. H. (2024). Optimizing tilapia growth through a comparative evaluation of EM4 and homemade probiotics in pellets. Journal of Aquaculture and Fish Health, 13(2), 208–218. https://doi.org/10.20473/jafh.v13i2.54414
Syawal, H., Effendi, I., & Kurniawan, R. (2021). Perbaikan profil hematologi ikan patin setelah penambahan suplemen herbal pada pakan. Jurnal Veteriner, 22(1), 16–25. https://doi.org/10.19087/jveteriner.2021.22.1.16
Tacon, A. G. (1987). The nutrition and feeding of farmed fish and shrimp: A training manual. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Thi, D. P., Phuc, H. N., Đào, D. T. A., Thi, T., Thu, N. T. T., Ngoc, N. T. B., Hoan, L. N., Trang, H. T., & Nguyen, T. H. H. (2025). Effects of dietary supplementation with turmeric and ginger on growth performance and selected biological indices of Nile tilapia. HUE University Journal of Science: Natural Science, 134, 29–39. https://doi.org/10.26459/hueunijns.v134i1s-2.7930
Yandini, H. E., Agustini, M., & Sumaryam. (2023). Pengaruh pemberian serbuk temulawak dengan dosis yang berbeda pada pakan terhadap pertumbuhan ikan nila merah ukuran 5–10 cm dalam bak pemeliharaan. Juvenil: Jurnal Ilmiah Kelautan dan Perikanan, 4(3), 227–233.
Yanti, R. Z., Muchlisin, Z. A., Nur, F. M., Irham, M., Batubara, A. S., Muhammadar, A. A., & Fadli, N. (2022). Effect of natural feeds on the growth performance, survival rate and feed utilization of the tropical shortfin eel Anguilla bicolor larvae. Polish Journal of Natural Sciences, 37(3), 381–390. https://doi.org/10.31648/pjns.7922
Zuib, M. A., Rejeki, S., & Harwanto, D. (2024). Adaptasi salinitas mampu meningkatkan pertumbuhan dan kelulusan hidup benih nila Sultana (Kelas: Osteichthyes; Famili: Cichlidae). Jurnal Kelautan Tropis, 27(2), 209–216. https://doi.org/10.14710/jkt.v27i2.22546
