Fumonisin B 1 (FB 1) is produced by fungus of the genus Fusarium (Fusarium verticiloides and F. proliferatum), and occurs predominantly in maize. The consumption of feed contaminated with FB 1 has been reported to cause deleterious effects in some fish species. This study was designed to determine the effects of dietary FB 1 on growth and lipids profile of Clarias gariepinus. 450 juvenile catfish were stocked into 5 groups of tanks consisting of 3 tanks per group and fed one of five diets amended with FB 1 (0.0 mg; 10.0 mg; 20.0 mg; 40.0 mg and 80.0 mg FB 1 /kg) for 56 days. At time point's day 7, 14, 28 and 56, five fish were sampled from each tank weighted, length measured and bled for of lipids profile determinations. Results show that there was a significant reduction (P < 0.05), in the mean body length of the fish fed diets amended with various amounts of FB 1 compared with those fed control diet; also, there was a significant reduction (P < 0.05) in the weight gain of fishes fed diets amended with FB 1 compared with the control. The specific growth rate and the feed conversion ratio at 56 days shows fish fed 0.0 mg FB 1 /kg had the highest specific growth rate (0.39 ± 0.14%/day) and the lowest feed conversion ratio (0.59 ± 0.01) whereas, fish fed 80.0 mg FB 1 /kg had the least specific growth rate (0.07% ± 0.01%/day) and the highest feed conversion ratio (1.95 ± 0.11). Dietary FB 1 caused significant increases (P < 0.05) in serum cholesterol, HDL-C; LDL-C; triglycerides and the sphinganine-sphingosine ratio. Dietary FB 1 at an inclusion rate ≥ 20 mg FB 1 /kg of diet produced significant reduction in weight gain and hyperlipidemia * Corresponding author. B. T. Adeyemo et al. 128 marked by hypercholesterolemia, increased blood high-density lipid cholesterol, increased blood low-density lipid cholesterol, elevated blood triglycerides and elevated sphinganine-sphingosine ratio.

This study aimed to determine the effects of dietary lanthanum chloride on the growth and health performance of juvenile Clarias gariepinus when fed diets experimentally contaminated with mixtures of aflatoxin B1 and fumonisin B1. A control diet, (mycotoxin free, diet A), mycotoxin contaminated (diet B), and two mycotoxin-contaminated diets amended with lanthanum chloride (200 mg/kg, diet C; and 400 mg/kg, diet D), were fed to 450 fish divided equally into five groups (each with three replicates) for 56 days. The fish were randomly sampled at the time points: day 7, 28 and day 56 for the zootechnical, hematological and serum biochemical evaluations. The fish fed the diets amended with lanthanum chloride exhibited significantly (p < 0.05) better performance indices compared with the fish fed only the mycotoxin-contaminated diet. Lanthanum chloride elicited significant (p < 0.05) increases in erythrocytes and leucocytes count and significant (p < 0.05) reduction in serum transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase activities, urea and uric acid concentrations in the fish fed the diets contaminated with mixtures of aflatoxin B1 and fumonisin B1. The study indicates that juvenile Clarias gariepinus may be beneficially cultured with mycotoxin-contaminated grains amended with 200 to 400 mg/kg lanthanum chloride.