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Histopathological studies have been established as effectual and sensitive tools for monitoring fish health. This study evaluated histopathological changes in African catfish fed with herbal additives. African Catfish juveniles (210) with an average weight of 117.3g and average length of 26.7cm were randomized into ten sub-groups and fed diets containing Allium sativum, Chromoleana odorata, and Talinum triangulare; 0.5%, 1.0%, and 3% concentrations, each of the herbal plants and 0% (control) for 42 days and changes in the visceral organs were investigated. Fish were sacrificed on the 43rd day and their visceral organs were collected and fixed in bouin’s fluid for 24h, washed with 10% formalin, and dehydrated through a graded series of ethanol. Collected organs were embedded in paraffin, sectioned at 4-5um thickness, stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin, and scanned with a light microscope. The intestine, gill, liver, and kidney of control and fish fed with 0.5% Allium sativum showed no damage. However, effects ranging from slight lamellae hyperplasia to noticeable lamellae hyperplasia were detected in the gills of the fish nurtured with 3.0% inclusion rates of C. odorata and T. triangulare. Epithelial necrosis and atrophy of tubules in the kidney at a 3.0 % inclusion rate of C. odorata were detected. In conclusion, Allium sativum, Chromoleana odorata, and Talinum triangulare could be included at lower inclusion rates of 0.5 – 1% into Clarias gariepinus feed for prime performance.
Tiamiyu et al. (Wed,) studied this question.