How important is garlic as an ingredient in fish food?

[mattrox]

http://www.scielo.br/pdf/jvatitd/v12n2/v12n2a03.pdf

It boots the major blood counts, and reduces bacterial load in the fish and the water column. There are papers about its anti-paracitic properties. But I can't access them to read... Damn.

[mattrox]

So far I have found this out about garlic in the diet of fish. Many of the studies are on tilapia as they are an important aquaculture food fish. So being a cichlid it has some relevance to us cichlid keepers.

Garlic boosts growth rates and food conversion ratios.

Garlic reduces the bacterial load in the fish and in the water column (Coliform Bacteria) and is effective against Aeromonas hydophilia

Small doses of garlic in food fed for a short time (one month) have a significant effect on the immune system - this is applicable for short term applications

Larger amount over the longer term helps resist an infection.

Garlic assists the antioxidant systems controlled by the liver.

Interestingly garlic powder is used in some of the studies as well as fresh garlic. And rates that positively affect fish are 10 to 30g per kg of feed. Also most trials feed at a rate of 3% of the body wieght as a daily ration.

Anyway, I found it very interesting.

[intern1]

List the papers I have access to most journal papers

John

[mattrox]

EFFECT OF GARLIC ON THE SURVIVAL, GROWTH, RESISTANCE AND QUALITY OF OREOCHROMIS NILOTICUS

EFFECTS OF GARLIC (Allium sativum) AND CHLORAMPHENICOL ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE, PHYSIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS AND SURVIVAL OF NILE TILAPIA (Oreochromis niloticus)

Effects of Garlic (Allium sativum) on Some Antioxidant Activities in Tilapia Nilotica (Oreochromis niloticus)