Dietary effects of <i>Telfairia occidentalis</i> leaf extract powder on the egg quality of African Catfish (<i>Clarias gariepinus</i>) broodstock

Abstract

The effect of dietary Telfairia occidentalis (fluted pumpkin) leaf extract powder on growth and reproductive indices of female catfish, Clarias gariepinus broodstocks were investigated. Female C. gariepinus (mean weight = 482.5 ± 24.75 g) were fed with four diets supplemented by 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 g aqueous extract of T. occidentalis leaf powder / 100 g feed respectively (designated as FPE2, FPE3, FPE4 and FPE5) 2 times a day at 3% of body weight for 56 days. Fish fed experimental diets showed significantly improved growth performance and reproductive indices over the control treatment. Higher (P < 0.05) gonadosomatic index was recorded for the fish fed dietary T. occidentalis leaf extract powder compared to fish fed on control diet. This result revealed that supplement diets with T. occidentalis leaf extract powder enhance growth and improve gonadosomatic index, and reproductive indices of female C. gariepinus broodstocks and has a potential pro-fertility property which can be exploited in fish seed production by hatchery operators.

Keywords: Telfairia occidentalis, fecundity, catfish, gonadosomatic index, egg size