Growth response of <i>Clarias gariepinus</i> (Burchell 1822) fingerlings fed with varying levels of maggot meal

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of quantitative replacement of 0, 20, 40, 60, 80 or 100% of the fish meal (40%) in the control diet of Clarias gariepinus fingerlings. The total weight gain, percentage weight gain and specific growth rate were highest in fish fed with diet containing 80% maggot inclusion and these were significantly different (P<0.05) in all the diet treatments. The study revealed that the control diet of maggot inclusion has the lowest specific growth rate. The food conversion efficiency and the protein efficiency ratio were highest in fish fed diet containing 0% maggot inclusion and 80% maggot inclusion respectively. Observation from fish fed diet containing 0 % maggot meal revealed that protein efficiency ratio and specific growth rate were less compared with those obtained in diets containing 40% - 80% maggot inclusion. There was a positive and significant correlation between the mean weight and protein efficiency ratio (r = 0.5 p < 0.05). The highest mortality rate (40%) was recorded on those fingerlings fed diet 100% maggot inclusion and the least (10%) was in diet 40% maggot inclusion.

Keywords: Growth, Fingerlings, Maggot meal.

JARD Vol. 4 (2) 2005: pp. 170-175