The effect of replacing Fish meal with 10% of Groundnut cake in the diets of H. longifilis on its Growth, Food conversion and Survival

Abstract

Growth, food conversion efficiency and survival of H. longifilis fed diets with varying levels of protein in which 10% of fish meal was replaced with groundnut cake were studied for 84 days. Fish fed the diet containing 44.17% crude protein showed the best weight gain, specific growth rate, food conversion ratio and efficiency. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in all the growth parameters and the survival rate of the fish. Addition of fishmeal to fish diets increases feed efficiency and growth although it is a very expensive ingredient. In northern Nigeria 1kg of fishmeal costs about five hundred Naira while its equivalent of
groundnut cake is about one hundred Naira. Cost – effectiveness of diets could be improved by replacing fishmeal with more economical protein sources such as groundnut cake.