Author(s): EJ Nya and UU George

Abstract: Larvae nutrition is considered to be the ‘bottle neck’ for larval fish production. As a way forward, live feeds known to be rich in macronutrients are used as a potential food source for fish larvae rearing. Fish larvae experiments with artemia investigating safety and bioavailability were carried out in an indoor hatchery with soybean diet as control. Here, 8 tanks experimental system was installed for nutrition experiments with commercial artemia feed and the control. The treatments had 4 replications and each tank was fed simultaneously twice a day to satiation for 14 days. In response to all the treatments diets, we observed a weight gain superior to that in response to the control diet. No substantial differences in organ weights nor gut length occurred. Protein bioavailability from the artemia diets did not differ from the control diet ranging from 56.2% to 76.2% apparent biological value ABV. Similarly, the soy bean control diet ABV ranged from 41.4% to 66.4%. This study indicated that absorption was lower for soy bean protein as control diets compared to artemia nutrition, albeit substantial percentage survival measured following feeding trial showed high rate. Serum analysis did not revealed any heart, kidney or liver toxicity induced by any of the diets. Artemia and soy bean-rich diets were well accepted, tolerated and suitable for the maintenance of body weight, normal organ function and indeed for larvae rearing. Therefore, the dietary inclusion with artemia meal appears to have a growth promoting effect on Catfish larvae, which may be associated with other trace minerals or other nutrients.

Pages: 528-532  |  607 Views  129 Downloads

Download Full Article: Click Here