Effects of Probiotic Red Water System on Growth, Tissue Histology, and Water Quality of Mutiara Catfish

Defa Rizqi Machfuda; Dewa Sukma Trinanda; Reval Pahlevi

Authors

Defa Rizqi Machfuda Department of Aquatic Resources Management, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, East Java, Indonesia https://orcid.org/0009-0009-8964-8252
Dewa Sukma Trinanda Department of Aquatic Resources Management, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, East Java, Indonesia
Reval Pahlevi Department of Aquatic Resources Management, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, East Java, Indonesia

Keywords:

Clarias gariepinu, probiotics, red water system, fish growth, histology

Abstract

Mutiara catfish (Clarias gariepinus) is one of the freshwater fish species with high economic value and increasing aquaculture production each year. The success of catfish farming largely depends on proper water quality management and appropriate feeding practices. Poor water quality management can lead to tissue damage in fish, deterioration of environmental conditions, and suboptimal growth performance. This study evaluated the effect of probiotic application using the Red Water System technique on fish growth performance, kidney tissue condition, and intestinal histology in catfish culture ponds. The research employed an experimental method using a completely randomized design. The study was conducted from November 2022 to February 2023. The results showed that probiotic treatment produced a positive allometric growth pattern with a survival rate of 87%, relative growth of 53%, and a feed conversion ratio of 1.6. Histopathological scoring indicated that the highest level of tissue damage was necrosis in the intestinal tissue of the non-probiotic treatment (45.83%, classified as severe), while the lowest damage score was hemorrhage in the kidney tissue of the probiotic treatment (20.83%, classified as moderate). Water quality analysis showed that ammonia, nitrate, and phosphate concentrations were associated with fish growth, indicated by coefficients of determination (R²) of 97.4% for ammonia, 97.8% for nitrate, and 79.9% for phosphate, showing positive linear trends. These findings indicate that probiotic application through the Red Water System has the potential to improve water quality conditions, support fish growth performance, and reduce tissue damage in cultured Mutiara catfish.

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