Author(s): Ezike Christopher Onyemaechi and Echor Felix Okaliwe

Abstract: The study was conducted in Enugu, Nigeria (latitude 074^o North and 082^o South and longitude 068^o East and 076^o West with annual mean temperature of 30^oC) to evaluate the growth performance of Clarias gariepinus frys fed dried decapsulated Artemia cysts DDAC and whole egg micro-encapsulated diet WEMD. Experimental duration was 21 days which started when the catfish was four days old. Triplicate groups of fish were subjected to two treatments of whole egg micro-encapsulated diet and decapsulated Artemia feed. The trial was conducted in 80 litres capacity plastic bowls and the frys were stocked at 100 frys per replicate, feeding was done at 5% of their body weight per day through 3 weeks of study. They were fed three times daily at 8.00 hours, 12.00 hours and 16.00 hours. Evaluation of growth parameters and nutrient utilization of fish fed with the experimental diets was based on the mean weight gain, protein efficiency ratio, food conversion ratio and survival rate. The growth parameters monitored showed that there were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in growth performance of the frys fed on the two treatment diets. Therefore both the decapsulated Artemia cysts and whole egg micro-encapsulated diets are good growth promoters to catfish frys. However to achieve better results, digestibility and nutritional quality of whole egg micro-encapsulated diets should be furthered in future studies. Low income farmers in the tropics can sufficiently alternate imported and often more expensive decapsulated Artemia cysts (DDAC) with whole egg micro-encapsulated diets (50% WEMD and 25% yeast).

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