Abstract:
The effects of replacing fish meal with
Caridina
nilotica
as a protein ingredient on growth perfor-
mance, nutrient utilization, carcass, proximate
composition and economic benefits in Nile tilapia
(
Oreochromis niloticus
) culture was evaluated.
Replacement of the FM with
C. nilotica
was done at
25%, 50%, 75% and 100% (D25, D50, D75 and
D100) and the substitution effects was compared
with the control diet (D0, 0%
C. nilotica
). After
140 days of culture, the best growth performance,
nutrient utilization and economic benefits occurred
in fish groups fed diets with 25%
C. nilotica
inclu-
sion. However, growth performance in fish fed diets
D50 and D75 were comparable with the control
(
P
>
0.05). At 100% substitution level of FM with
C. nilotica
, the growth performance and fish sur-
vival was lower than control. Protein and lipid con-
tents in the fish and their digestibilities were highest
in diet D25 and decreased with increasing levels of
substitution of FM with
C. nilotica
. This study dem-
onstrate that utilization of local protein sources
(
C. nilotica
) can be effectively used to replace up to
75% of FM in the diets without compromising
growth performance, survival, nutrient utilization
and economic benefits in O. niloticus culture