Effects of Different Commercial Feeds on Growth Performance of Backcrossed Clarias gariepinus Hatchlings

*Onyia, L.U1 ., Badamasi, M1., Michael, K.G.1 and Umaru, S.B2

1Department of Fisheries, Modibbo Adama University PMB 2076, Yola.
2Department of Biology, College of Education, Maiduguri

*Corresponding author: luconyia@gmail.com, doi.org/10.55639/607.2434


ABSTRACT

Different commercial feeds were fed to the hatchlings from the backcross of albino hybrid and parental Clarias gariepinus to improve their growth rate and percentage survival. The fish were fed with D1 Aqualis, D2 vital, D3 Skretting, D4 Coppens, and D5 Prime feeds. The results revealed an increase in weight and length gain of the hatchlings. However, the fish fed with Skrettings and Coppens gave the best growth rate. The weight gain was highest in Skretting D3 (18.500±0.042a), followed by Coppens D4 (18.18±0.52), then the Vital feed (17.767±0.07), Aqualis (17.466±0.13) and Prime had the least (17.200±0.20). In the length gain, Skretting and Vital had the same results (4.734±0.10), followed by Coppens (4.633±0.12), Prime (4.567±0.06) and the least was Aqualis (4.100±0.15). Prime had the highest percentage of survival 86%, this was followed by Coppens at 80%, Vital at 73.33%, Skretting at 66.67% and the least Aqualis at 53.33%. The Coppens had the best feed conversion ratio (0.007), while the rest of the treatments had 0.001. The research showed that both skretting and Coppens gave the best results. However, when considering the cost of the feeds skretting should be used since it is cheaper.

Keywords:

Growth,
Albino hybrids,
Parent Clarias
gariepinus,
Commercial feeds