Nutrient utilization and growth performance of African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) fed varying levels of Composite Meal (CM) in replacement of fishmeal

Abstract

This study evaluates the nutrient utilization and growth performance of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) fed alternative animal protein composite meal for 42 days. The composite meal is composed of feather meal, blood meal, tilapia meal, and maggot meal each in a 25% proportion. Five isonitrogenous diets (T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5) containing 40% crude protein were formulated with the composite meal replacing fish meal at 0% control (T1), 25% (T2), 50% (T3), 75% (T4) and 100%(T5) respectively. The weight gain, protein intake, protein efficiency ratio, and specific growth rate in the 75% and 100% inclusion levels were not significantly different from the control diet. Fish survival ranged between 90-95% with the highest weight gain of 10.57g observed in the 100% inclusion level. The Feed conversion ratio varied between (1.17 and 1.37). The results from growth, feed utilization, and survival levels showed an overall good growth of the fish in the experimental diets, and this indicates that the composite meal is a potential replacement for fish meal in the diets of Clarias gariepinus fingerlings.

Partial Replacement of Fish Meal with an Aquatic Macrophyte, Ceratophyllum demersum in the Diet of Common Carp, Cyprinus carpio var. communis Fingerlings

“…communis fingerlings. Similar findings were observed for Oreochromis niloticus [59] and Clarias gariepinus [40]. In contrast to the moisture content, whole body protein and fat amounts of fish fed varying doses of C. demersum also showed differences.…”

“…These have been shown to include significant amounts of nutrients, protein, and minerals, pricey ingredients in fish feeds, and a crucial element impacting fish growth and feed costs. As a result, efforts have been made to partially substitute alternative protein sources for fish meal in various fish species diets in order to reduce the cost of fish feed, besides producing superior products [40,41]. In the present study, C. demersum, a macrophyte, has been utilized as a good source for partial replacement of fish meal due to its capacity to produce significant amounts of biomass in a little period of time and its favorable biochemical profile.…”

Evaluation of Graded Quantitative Partial Replacement of Basaria (Sand Smelt) Local Fish Meal and Biogen, With Biosynthesis to Chitosan Nanoparticles and Spirulina Platensis Algae in Diets for African Catfish (Clarias Gariepinus) Reared in Tanks

“…Therefore, the national organics standards board (NOSB) has proposed limiting the use of fishmeal and oil in organically certified aquaculture products with a 12-year phase-out schedule (NOSB, 2008). Consequently, efforts have been made to replace fishmeal partially or wholly with alternative protein sources in the diet of fish species.These efforts have sought to achieve similar or better output like fishmeal atare duced cost (Ojewole et al, 2022). Elsadek et al (2016) concluded that, in short the results concerned with the effect of replacing fish meal protein with sand smelt meal (SSM) protein indicate that fish meal protein could be replaced up to 75% sand smelt higher than effects on growth performance, feed utilization and chemical composition parameters of Nile Tilapia compared with control and no significant difference between the control diet and diet replacement 100% with SSM.…”