Kajian ini menggunakan dua fasa percubaan pemakanan untuk menentukan pengaruh prebiotik dan probiotik yang terpilih ke atas pertumbuhan, pengambilan makanan, dan perubahan morfologi ke atas anak ikan haruan (Channa striata) dan juga kesan yang dialami dalam tempoh kajian tanpa penggunaan diet tambahan. Tiga kumpulan ikan (22.46 ± 0.17 g) dibesarkan menggunakan enam diet yang berbeza: tiga prebiotik (0.2% β-glucan, 1% galakto-oligosakarida [GOS], dan 0.5% mannan-oligosakarida [MOS]), dua probiotik (1% yis hidup [Saccharomyces cerevisiae] dan 0.01% serbuk Lactobacillus acidophilus [LBA]) dan satu diet kawalan (tanpa makanan tambahan); setiap rawatan dilakukan sebanyak tiga kali. Semua diet mengandungi 40% protein mentah dan 12% lipid mentah. Ikan-ikan ini diberi makan sebanyak tiga kali sehari. Tiada kematian ikan direkodkan semasa Fasa 1 dijalankan. Walau bagaimanapun, 14% kematian telah direkodkan semasa Fasa 2 untuk ikan-ikan prebiotik dan kawalan. Pada akhir Fasa 1, prestasi pertumbuhan dan penggunaan makanan adalah lebih tinggi (p<0.05) dalam ikan yang dirawat menggunakan LBA, diikuti oleh yis hidup, berbanding dengan diet yang lain. Pertumbuhan ikan dalam tiga diet prebiotik tidak jauh berbeza antara satu sama lain tetapi pertumbuhan ikan yang menggunakan diet kawalan sangat tinggi. Dalam Fasa 2 (fasa pemberian makanan), pertumbuhan ikan berterusan sehingga minggu ke-6 untuk diet berasaskan probiotik tetapi mendatar selepas empat minggu untuk ikan yang diberi makan diet prebiotik. Nisbah penukaran makanan (FCR) adalah lebih tinggi terhadap semua rawatan semasa tempoh memberi makan. Indeks hepatosomatik (HSI) tidak berbeza dengan ketara terhadap diet yang diuji. Indeks visceral somatik (VSI) dan intraperitoneal lemak (IPF) adalah paling tinggi dalam diet yang menggunakan LBA dan diet kawalan, masing-masing. Indeks badan berbeza secara ketara (p<0.05) di antara Fasa 1 dan 2. Kajian ini menunjukkan bahawa diet berasaskan probiotik mempunyai pengaruh yang positif ke atas pertumbuhan, pengambilan makanan, dan kelangsungan hidup terhadap C. striata berbanding penggunaan diet makanan yang menggunakan prebiotik.

This study used a two-phase feeding trial to determine the influence of selected dietary prebiotics and probiotics on growth performance, feed utilisation, and morphological changes in snakehead (Channa striata) fingerlings as well as the duration of these effects over a post-experimental period without supplementation. Triplicate groups of fish (22.46 ± 0.17 g) were raised on six different treatment diets: three prebiotics (0.2% β-glucan, 1% galacto-oligosaccharides [GOS], 0.5% mannan-oligosaccharides [MOS]), two probiotics (1% live yeast [Saccharomyces cerevisiae] and 0.01% Lactobacillus acidophilus [LBA] powder) and a control (unsupplemented) diet; there were three replicates for each treatment. All diets contained 40% crude protein and 12% crude lipid. Fish were fed to satiation three times daily. No mortalities were recorded during Phase 1; however, 14% mortality was documented in the control and prebiotic-amended fish during Phase 2. At the end of Phase 1, growth performance and feed utilisation were significantly higher (p<0.05) in the LBA-treated fish, followed by live yeast treatment, compared with all other diets tested. The performance of fish on the three prebiotic diets were not significantly different from one another but was significantly higher than the control diet. During Phase 2 (the post-feeding phase), fish growth continued until the 6th week for the probiotic-based diets but levelled off after four weeks for the fish fed the prebiotic diets. The feed conversion ratio (FCR) was higher in all treatments during the post-feeding period. The hepatosomatic index (HSI) did not differ significantly among the tested diets. The visceral somatic index (VSI) and intraperitoneal fat (IPF) were highest in the LBA-based diet and the control diet, respectively. The body indices were significantly different (p<0.05) between Phases 1 and 2. This study demonstrates that probiotic-based diets have a more positive influence on the growth, feed utilisation, and survival of C. striata fingerlings compared with supplementation with prebiotics.