Abstract:
Oreochromis variabilis
Boulenger (1906) is an indigenous
and
criti
cally endangered fish species of
Lake Victoria. It is among the species targeted for stock enhancement and restoration in Kenya. Such
mass stock enhancement requires simple and easily applicable techniques to maximize its larviculture.
This study investiga
ted the growth potential of
O. variabilis
from fry to fingerling stages using diets
formulated from locally available feed materials during the rearing period. Fish fry reared on formulated
diets incorporating
Rastrineobola argentea
Pellegrin and
Caridina
nilotica
Roux as protein source and
cassava as basal feed gave higher growth and survival rates than those maintained on plankton live
feed alone. There were significant differences
in the
final mean lengths and weights of fish
fed the three
treatment diet
s
. Diet 3 gave significantly higher final mean length
s and weights
than
Diets
1 and 2.
Growth rates of fish fry fed diets 2 and 3 regimens were significantly higher than those fed diet 1.
The
best
food conversion ratio and condition factor were
maintained
in fry populations reared on Diet 3.
The
study concluded therefore that, viability of larviculture of
O. variabilis
using simple formulated diets
may be achieved, and that this result provides an important breakthrough in the propagation of its seed
stock
for mass culture towards stock enhancement and restoration
to marketplace.