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This study was conducted to examine the effects of dietary Myrmecodia pendens extract (MPE) on the growth and digestive enzyme activity of the catfish Clarias gariepinus. A group of fish with four replicates were fed 1 g kg^-1 of MPE in basal diet and then compared to control group (without MPE). All fish was fed at a rate 3% of body weight for 8 weeks. At the end of the trial, average weekly gain (AWG), specific growth rate (SGR) and feed efficiency (FE) were evaluated and digestive enzyme (amylase, lipase, and protease) activity was determined. The results showed that after 8 weeks of feeding, FE, amylase, lipase and protease of MPE fed fish were significantly higher than the control group, whereas AWG and SGR were not affected by dietary MPE. These findings suggest that the inclusion of MPE in the diet is beneficial in improving feed efficiency, amylase, lipase and protease activity of fish.

Myrmecodia pendens; growth; digestive enzyme; Clarias gariepinus