Utilization of marine fish viscera in African snakehead fish fingerlings (<i>Parachanna obscura</i>, Gunther, 1861) feeding: Zootechnical parameters and body composition

Abstract

The Marine Fish Viscera (MFV) are a protein source can be used in aquaculture feed. In fact, MFV are considered that waste in the fresh fish market. This study investigated on the utilization of MFV for substitute the fish meal in African snakehead fish fingerlings (Parachanna obscura, Gunther, 1861) feeding. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of Marine Fish Viscera Meal (MFVM) on the zootechnical parameters, feed utilization and carcass  composition of P. obscura. For the study, 750 fingerlings (mean weight 1.05 ± 0.06 g) of P. obscura in 15 rectangular concreted tanks have been used for 6  weeks. P. obscura fries fed on several diets with 25% arithmetic progression of Fish Meal (FM) replacement by MFVM (T1:0%, T2: 25%, T3: 50%, T4: 75%,  T5: 100%). At the end of study, significant differences (P < 0.05) in relation to the zootechnical parameters considered were observed. The best FBW  (141.66 ± 1.66 g), SGR (2.20 ± 0.02%), FCR (1.39 ± 0.02), PER (1.88 ± 0.02) and PPV (10.44 ± 0.60) were obtained with treatment T5. We notice that the more  FM substitution rate by MFVM increase, the more zootechnical performances, feed utilization and flesh quality improve. The different treatments didn’t  impact significantly (P > 0.05) the survival rate. There was no mortality recorded in study.