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Probiotic supplements have the potential to improve the gut flora and enhance nutritional efficacy and blood indices. In this study, sunflower seed meal based diet (SFM) supplemented with a commercial probiotic (protexin®) was examined to evaluate the effects on the survival, growth, digestibility, antioxidant status, carcass and hematology of Cirrhinus mrigala fingerlings. Fish were subjected to a 12-week feeding regimen to examine the efficacy of probiotics. Seven diets with different probiotic doses (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, and 3 g kg−1) were prepared and randomly assigned to 21 tanks, each stocked with 15 fingerlings, resulting in a total of 315 fish utilized forthe experiment. Analysis showed that fish treated 2 g kg−1 probiotics level exhibited a remarkable 100% survival rate. The results indicated that probiotics (2 g kg−1) supplementation revealed notable differences in weight gain (19.76 g), weight gain% (283.15%), FCR (1.31) and SGR (1.49% d−1) than other probiotic concentrations and control. The dietary administration of 2 g kg−1 probiotics to C. mrigala resulted in significant improvements in digestibility, with values of 70.52% for protein, 70.30% for gross energy, and 73.71% for fat. Carcass composition also showed notable enhancements, with fat, ash, protein, and moisture content of 4.78%, 2.03%, 18.08%, and 75.11%, respectively. Overall findings indicated that adding 2 g kg⁻¹ probiotics showed improved hematological indices, such as increased red blood cell, hemoglobin and white blood cell count and enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity. Mineral analysis revealed optimal levels at 2 g kg−1 probiotics: Ca (72.57%), Na (73.08%), K (71.45%), P (74.70%), Fe (67.43%), Cu (63.62%), Mg (61.98%), and Al (62.18%). To sum up, the dose of 2 g kg−1 probiotics supplementation has a profoundly positive impact on growth, digestibility, health, and hematology in C. mrigala. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the impacts of adding exogenous enzymes on the growth, nutrient digestibility, carcass composition and antioxidant enzyme activities of Catla catla fingerlings fed test diets based on cottonseed meal. Six experimental diets were created, each containing 200 mgkg -1 of enzyme supplements. The diets consisted of a control diet (CON) without enzyme supplements and five treatment diets: four single-enzyme supplements, namely phytase (PHY), xylanase (XYL), protease (PRO), and cellulase (CEL), and a fifth treatment diet containing a mixture (MIX) of all four enzyme supplements. Fingerlings (7.74 ± 0.30 g each) were introduced into V-shaped water tanks that were intended to hold waste. For seventy days, fish in three replicate tanks received feed at a rate of five percent of their live body weight. The results indicated that the MIX yielded the most favorable outcomes, followed by PHY, XYL, and CEL, while PRO and CON group showed negligible differences. Notably, the MIX supplementation resulted in maximum specific growth rate, weight gain percentage, and minimum feed conversion ratio, surpassing the CON group. Furthermore, the MIX at 200 mgkg -1 demonstrated optimal digestibility and carcass composition in C. catla. Additionally, the activity of antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase, exhibited enhanced performance in response to exogenous MIX enzyme supplementation. Therefore, these findings suggest that an enzyme MIX group supplemented at 200 mgkg -1 , is optimal for promoting growth, nutrient digestibility, carcass composition, and antioxidant enzyme activity in C. catla., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethical statement: All experimental protocols were approved by the ethical guidelines provided by the Animal Ethics Committee of Government College University Faisalabad. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)