EFFECT OF PROBIOTIC APPLICATION ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF ASIAN CATFISH (Pangasius djambal) LARVAE

The aim of this experiment was to know the effect of different periods for probiotic application on growth performance of Asian catfish. Used as treatment was probiotic application: (A) started at 3 days after stocking; (B) started at 5 days after stocking; (C) started at 7 days after stocking; and (D) without any probiotic application as control with three replicates, respectively. Larvae were reared in 9 aquaria by dimension 95 x 45 x 45 cm³ filled with 100 liters of water. Sampling was taken every 7 days and the experiment was conducted for 35 days. The total body length, spesific growth rate, and daily growth rate were measured during the experiment. The results showed that at the final body length of treatment C showed significantly difference (P<0.05) compared to treatment A, B and D. The highest body length was reached by treatment B (47.0 ± 4.58 mm), followed A (44.0 ± 5.00 mm), D (41.7 ± 10.41 mm) and C (33.0 ± 3.46 mm). Optimum total body length was obtained in probiotic application started at 5 days after stocking but no significant difference in specific and daily growth rate among the treatments.