effect of coffee silverskin enriched diet to enhance the immunological and growth parameters of nile tilapia (oreochromis niloticus)

The application of low-cost feed additives as an immunostimulant for different species of fish is an emerging research area in aquaculture. the present study aimed at incorporating a byproduct from coffee processing, coffee silverskin, as an immunostimulant in nile tilapia. a total of 225 tilapia fingerlings (each weighing 23.04±0.07) were fed on diets as follows: diet 1 (control), diet 2 (20 gm/kg), diet 3 (40 gm/kg), diet 4 (80 gm/kg) and diet 5 (180 gm/kg) of coffee silverskin. the feeding experiment continued for four weeks; moreover, growth, as well as immunological studies, were carried out by collecting mucus and blood serum from the liver and intestine of the fish. a significant increase in growth performance was observed in fish fed with a 40 gm/kg coffee silverskincontaining diet. the same effect was found in immunological parameters, including complement activity, serum lysozyme activity, and respiratory burst activity. therefore, it is concluded that the study was definitely a successful one, and a diet with 40 gm/kg of coffee silverskin (diet 3) was effective, compared to the rest of the compositions.