Optimum Dietary Crude Protein and Digestible Energy Requirements for fingerlings of Hybrid Clariid catfish Heterobranchus bidorsalis♀ X Clarias gariepinus♂ in the Tropics

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Optimum Dietary Crude Protein and Digestible Energy Requirements for fingerlings of Hybrid Clariid catfish Heterobranchus bidorsalis♀ X Clarias gariepinus♂ in the Tropics

  B.S. Aliu1*, J.M. Olomu2
1,2Department of Fisheries, University of Benin, Benin-City, Nigeria

*Corresponding Author

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Abstract: This study was carried out to determine the optimum dietary crude protein and digestible energy requirements for the Heterobranchus bidorsalis♀ X Clarias gariepinus♂ fingerlings. The general objective of the study was to determine the optimum protein and digestible energy levels for the Clariid catfish fingerlings, Heterobranchus bidorsalis♀ X Clarias gariepinus♂, using locally sourced feed inputs. Heterobranchus bidorsalis♀ X Clarias gariepinus♂ fingerlings were reared from hatchlings to five weeks old. Sixteen practical diets were formulated and used in the feeding trials. The diets were made up of four digestible energy levels (2400, 2600, 2800 and 3000Kcal/Kg), each at four crude proteins levels (25, 30, 35 and 40%) and were fed to the fingerlings for 70days in three replicates for each treatment. Weekly data were collected based on weight gain and feed consumption. Feed and fish carcasses were analyzed for proximate composition of the fingerlings. All data collected were subjected to two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test at 5% probability level.
The total weight gain of fingerlings increase in dietary protein levels at all energy levels used in the experiment. The increases were significant in all but one and which was that between 35% and 40% crude protein at the DE of 3000kg/kg diet. The highest total weight gain (148.84/4) was obtained in fish led with the diet containing 40% crude protein at digestible energy of 2400kcal/kg diet. The values obtained at 40% crude protein and DE of 2400kcal/kg diet were significantly different (P<0.05) from those obtained on all the other dietary protein and energy levels treatments.