The replacement of fish meal with fermented Moringa leaves meal and its effect on the immune response of red tilapia (Oreochromis sp.)

Moringa (Moringa oleifera) has frequently been studied as an alternative and promising protein source in fish feed. Moringa leaves is among the potential and affordable plant-based protein source ingredient, as it protein, vitamin, beta-carotene, and various kind of minerals. Flavonoid, saponin, vitamin and alkaloids reportedly exhibit immune-stimulating activity which increase immune response. This study aims to evaluate the replacement of fish meal with fermented Moringa leaves meal in feed on the immune response of red tilapia (Oreochromis sp.). The research was conducted experimentally using a completely randomized design by four treatments in triplicate. The treatments include replacement of the fish meal with fermented moringa leaves meal at 0, 10, 20, and 30 . Red tilapia with total length of 9 to 10 cm was fed twice daily for two months at a feeding rate of 3 of total biomass. The results showed that replacement fish meal with fermented Moringa leaves meal as much as 20 increases the percentage values of hematocrit and leukocrit, stimulates phagocytic activity and phagocytic index, suppresses monocyte and increases lymphocytes, and increases total plasma protein.