ABSTRACT:

The study aims to assess the impact of direct intramuscular injection of Nile perch DNA on the hematological and biochemical indices of African catfish. A total of 225 African catfish fingerlings were divided into five DNA concentrations: 0 (T1), 1 (T2), 2 (T3), 3 (T4), and 4 μg (T5) per fish, with each group replicated three times in a completely randomized design. The experiment took place in 15 plastic tanks, each housing 15 fish, and the fish were fed a commercial diet for a 20-week period. The data collected on haematological and biochemical indices were subjected to one-way analysis of variance. Results on hematological analysis revealed that red blood cell counts significantly increased (p ≤ 0.05) with higher DNA doses, peaking at 2 μg (2.15 × 10^12/L), while white blood cell counts peaked at 4 μg (37.18 × 10^12/L). Furthermore, higher DNA doses were associated with significant increases (p ≤ 0.05) in mean corpuscular volume, hemoglobin levels and lymphocyte counts. Biochemical analysis indicated notable differences (p ≤ 0.05) in total protein levels, albumin, globulin, and the albumin/globulin ratio, with the highest total protein concentration (31.93 g/L) observed in the 3 μg group. These findings suggest that the hematological and biochemical indices of C. gariepinus fingerlings can be enhanced through the injection of Nile perch DNA, within the normal range for optimal physiological functioning in fish..