International Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Studies
2024, Vol. 12, Issue 4, Part A
Effect of varying replacement levels of soybean meal with watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) seed meal on growth and feed utilization performance of Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822)
Author(s): Mudi ZR, Mahmud A, Abdul-Azeez H, Suleiman AM, Muhd IU, Aminu MU and Abubakar FB
Abstract: The quest to minimize cost of feeding in aquaculture operation prompted this investigation on the substitution of soybean meal (SBM) with watermelon seed (WMS) in the diets of
Clarias gariepinus fingerlings. This study investigated impacts of the substitution on the growth performance and feed utilization of
Clarias gariepinus fingerlings. Watermelon seeds were processed by boiling for 15-minutes, dried and milled into fine particles before incorporation into five experimental diets on graded levels of SBM-WMS replacements i.e., 0% (CTR), 25% (DT1), 50% (DT2), 75% (DT3) and 100% (DT4). 225 fish were stocked into 50-litres plastic tanks in a Complete Random Design (CRD) of 15 fish per tank and each treatment in triplicates. The feeding trial was conducted under a flow-through drainage system for 56 days. Feeding was done twice daily and at 5% body weight with consequential adjustment fortnightly. Results showed significant growth differences (
p≤0.05) across the treatments, with an increasing trend up to a threshold peak of 75% replacement. Thus, the DT3 group had the highest average weight gain (8.507 g), and the DT4 group with the lowest (3.245 g). Similarly, feed conversion ratio, protein efficiency ratios and % survival varied significantly (
p≤0.05) among the treatments with the poorest (FCR=4.89, PER=0.08 & Survival=46.35%) recorded in the DT4 group. This study establishes potential for higher replacement of SBM with WMS of 75% level but will also consider adequate treatment of the watermelon seed before incorporation in to fish feed formulations.
DOI: 10.22271/fish.2024.v12.i4a.2944Pages: 59-63 | 190 Views 105 DownloadsDownload Full Article: Click Here
How to cite this article:
Mudi ZR, Mahmud A, Abdul-Azeez H, Suleiman AM, Muhd IU, Aminu MU, Abubakar FB.
Effect of varying replacement levels of soybean meal with watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) seed meal on growth and feed utilization performance of Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) . Int J Fish Aquat Stud 2024;12(4):59-63. DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22271/fish.2024.v12.i4a.2944