Growth response and carcass composition of catfish (Clarias gariepinus) fingerlings fed varying inclusions levels of Toasted wild groundnut (Calapogonium mucuniodes) seed meal

Abstract

A feeding trial was conducted for 56 days to evaluate the suitability of toasted wild groundnut (Calapogonium mucuniodes) seed meal (TCMS) inclusion in practical diet of catfish (Clarias gariepinus) fingerlings through their growth performance and body composition. C. gariepinus fingerlings (initial mean weight 1,46±0.02 g) were fed with experimental diets containing different inclusion levels of TCMS and were designated as D1 (0% TCMS), D2 (10%TCSM), D3 (20% TCSM), D4 (30% TCSM) and D5 (10% Raw calapogonium muccuniodes seed meal, RCSM)). 15 net hapa (0.5x0.5x1 m) were suspended in two outdoor concrete tanks (8mx5mx 1.5m) with the aid of kuralon twine tied to plastic poles. The concrete tanks were filled to 5/6 of its volume (40m3) with filtered and dechlorinated tap water, 20 fish were stocked in each hapa. Each treatment was randomly allocated to three hapa. The results of the growth performance showed that fish fed with D3 had the highest final weight (FW), weight gain (WG), specific growth rate (SGR) and feed intake (FI), and these were significantly different from other fishes fed with other experimental diets. D5 was significantly lower than the other experimental diets (P<0.05), although there was no significant (P>0.05) difference between fish fed with D1 and D2, however they were significantly higher than D4. Except for D3 with a higher significant value of feed efficiency (FE) and protein efficiency ratio (PER), fish fed with D1, D2 and D4 were not significantly different from each other but were significantly higher than fish fed D5. Whole body proximate composition offish fed all diets showed that inclusion of TSOM influenced moisture and lipid contents. This study showed that toasted C. muccuniodes seed meal would be a potential suitable ingredient for C. gariepinus fingerlings and that it may be included in a diet up to 20%.