Myrmecodia pendens bulb extract (MPBE) contains phytochemical compounds such as flavonoids, phenols, alkaloids, tannins and saponins that potential can be used as an additional fish feed. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of MBPE to fish feed on the growth performance, intestine and liver histology, and proximate content of catfish (Clarias gariepinus Var) fillets. Fishes (initial weight 15 g) were randomly divided into several groups of triplicates, containing 20 fishes

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... group. The group one (K) is a control, while groups P1, P2, P3, dan P4 with the addition of 0.5; 1; 2; and 3 g/kg M. pendens bulb extract. Fishes were fed MPBE in the diet for 90 days and at the end of treatment fish growth was measured. Meanwhile, intestine and liver were taken out for histological analysis. The results showed, fish fed 3 g/kg MPBE had higher growth performance (p<0,05) than other groups. However, villi and depth of crypt intestine the fish fed MPBE was shorter than control group. The liver of the fish fed MPBE also showed significant effect on the histology of liver. Furthermore, the addition of MPBE to fish showed a better result of fillet proximate analysis compared to control 020002-1 epiphytic plants. Myrmecodia can be found in the mountains of Papua, Sumatra, and Java. The benefits of this plant can be used as herbal medicine for lowering blood glucose levels, tumors, and cancer (especially in the breast, liver, lung, ovary, and brain). In addition, this plant as an antioxidant and immunostimulant to increase immunity [7] . Myrmecodia contains several compounds, namely phenolics, flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, tocopherols, multimineral, and polysaccharides [8] . However, the effect of feed supplementation with ant-nest plant extract on growth performance, histology of intestinal and liver, and proximate nutritional contents of catfish fillets have never been done. The aims of this research was to determine the effects of MBPE to fish feed on the growth performance, intestine and liver histology, and proximate content of catfish (Clarias gariepinus Var) fillets. METHOD Plant Materials M. pendens bulbs were purchased from a local market. To make a powder, bulbs were dried, cut into small pieces and ground into powder. This powder was extracted using 95% ethanol for 48 hours, filtrated, evaporated at 60 ºC until all the solvent evaporated and stored in refrigerator at 10 ºC until it was used as a crude extract. Control and Treatment Diet Preparation The control diet was a commercial pellet and was obtained from a local commercial market (Hi Pro Vite 781-3). The control diet contained 31-33 % protein, 4-6% lipid, 3-5% crude fibre, 10-13% ash and 10% moisture. The treatment diet was prepared by adding 0,5; 1; 2; and 3 g MPBE to the control diet, repalletized using a mixer and dried with oven at 60 ºC and stored at room temperature before use. Fish Preparation and Experimental Setup Three-hundred sangkuriang catfish (average initial weight ± 15 g) were obtained from local breeding fish farm in Samarinda, East Kalimantan, Indonesia. All fish were acclimated at the Animal Physiology, Development, and Molecular Laboratory, Mulawarman University, East Kalimantan for five days. The fish were then randomly distributed into five groups (K, P1, P2, P3, and P4) with triplicate groups of 15 fishes per replicate group. For 90 days, the fish were fed with various concentrations of MPBE or the control group at a rate of 3% of body weight three times per day. Temperature, pH, total ammonia nitrate, nitrate, and dissolved oxygen (DO) of the water in experimental tanks were also checked weekly. Siphoning was carried out weekly to remove uneaten food and faeces before renewing the water, forty percent of water volume was replaced with fresh water. Growth and Feed Utilization Parameters At the end of 90 days feeding trial, biomass weight, average weekly gain (AWG), body weight gain (BWG), daily weight gain (DWG), specific growth rate (SGR), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and feed efficiency (FE), was measured to determine the growth and feed utilization of fish fed with various concentrations of MPBE. All growth parameters were calculated by using equation previously used by [9] as follow, BWG (g) = final weight (g) -initial weight (g); AWG (g) = BWG (g)/ number of weeks DWG (g) = BWG x 7 (number of weeks)/ t SGR (%) = 100 [Ln final weight (g) -Ln initial weight (g)]/the experimental period (day) FE (%) = [(Final fish weight (g) + dead fish weight (g)) -initial weight/Feed consumed (g dry weight] x 100 FCR (%) = Feed intake/weight gain Where t is trial time (days).