Influence of polyherbal formulation (AquaImmu) as a potential growth promotor and immunomodulator in shrimp Penaeus monodon

• Antibiotic application in aquaculture causes ill effects, so an alternative remedy is essential.
• Herbs are safe alternative to antibiotics so the present work was performed with polyherbal formulated AquaImmu.
• The polyherbal formulation was effective at a concentration of 300mg/100g diet.

Growth enhancing and immunostimulating potential of a polyherbal formulation AquaImmu was assessed in Penaeus monodon outdoor culture system which was tested for 90 days. For this 100 (A1), 200 (A2), 300 (A3) and 400 (A4) mg/100 g AquaImmu supplemented diets were prepared and fed to shrimp. The growth performance of shrimp was assessed during the 30th, 60th and 90th days of feeding experiment. It showed that shrimp fed on A3 diet displayed better growth performance such as SGR (5.46 ± 0.138%), Food conversion efficiency (66.32 ± 1.258%) and Food conversion ratio (1.50 ± 0.060) during the 90th day of feeding experiment. Immunological parameters such as total haemocyte count (243.0 ± 2.94 × 105 cells/ml), superoxide anion activity (0.297 ± 0.011 O.D), phenoloxidase activity (0.113 ± 0.003 O.D), lysozyme activity (0.354 ± 0.006 U/ml), plasma protein content (57.70 ± 2.01 mg/ml) and bactericidal activity (72.0 ± 2.18%) were higher in shrimp fed on diet A3 during 90th day of feeding experiment. The result inferred that the polyherbal formulation AquaImmu at a concentration of 300 mg/100 g feed served as a potent growth promoter and immune modulator in shrimp P. monodon.