EFFECTIVENESS OF JAMBLANG LEAF EXTRACT (Syzygium cumini) IN TREATMENT OF Aeromonas hydrophila BACTERIAL INFECTION IN NILE FISH (Oreochromis niloticus)

Abstract

The demand for tilapia continues to increase, but the problem of disease caused by the bacterium Aeromonas hydrophila has become a major challenge in tilapia farming, resulting in significant losses due to high fish mortality rates. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of jamblang leaf extract (Syzygium cumini) in treating Aeromonas hydrophila infections in tilapia. The study employed an experimental design using a Completely Randomised Design (CRD) involving 5 treatments and 4 replications, namely (A) negative control, (B) positive control, and treatment with jamblang leaf extract (C) at a dose of 18.5 mL/1.5 L, treatment (D) at 26.25 mL/1.5 L, and (E) 33.75 mL/1½ L. The results showed that jamblang leaf extract had a significant impact on the recovery of tilapia. Clinical symptoms of infection included swimming at the bottom, wounds, and excessive mucus. Leukocyte observations showed a spike on the first day, with treatment C showing better results than the positive control. Hemoglobin and haematocrit levels also showed better recovery in treatment C, with hemoglobin levels of 6 g/dL and haematocrit levels of 19% on day 14. The highest fish survival rate was recorded in treatment C (78.33% ± 8.38), while the positive control only reached 28.33% ± 6.38. Water quality during the study indicated conditions favourable for fish survival. In conclusion, the study demonstrated that jamblang leaf extract at a dose of 18.5 mL/1.5 L was effective in improving survival rates and correcting blood parameters in fish infected with bacteria.