Effects of dietary feeds on the growth performance and survivability of stinging catfish, heteropneustesfossilis (Bloch, 1794) fingerlings

Abstract

Stinging catfish (Heteropneustesfossilis) is a highly nutritious food and contribute to the fulfillment of animal protein. Now a day, this fish are commercially cultured through the country. Fish feeds play important roles in growth, survival and development of stinging catfish. But due to inadequate knowledge on effects of feeds on growth, survival and development of stinging catfish, mass and quality production of this fish is not possible. Thus the present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of three different feeds on growth, survival and development of stinging catfish. There were three types of feeds used including Live Tubifex, Tubifexpowder (58% protein) and Pellet feed (20% protein) in the experiment. Feeding rates were evaluated (5%), as a percentage of fish body weight, with three replicates per treatment. All fingerlings were of the same age at stocking; with a mean weight of 8.04 ± 0.01 g. The fishes were fed twice per day at 9.30 to10.30 a.m. and 3.30 to 4.30 p.m. respectively. At the beginning of the experiment and at 7 day intervals all the fish from each aquarium were collected, counted, individually weighed (nearest mg) for 45 days. Final weights were significantly greater (p< 0.05) than initial weights in the entire feeding rate. After 45 day rearing, the mean harvesting weights of stinging catfish, Shingi were 48.53 ± 1.13g, 28.97 ± 0.24g and 25.67 ± 0.49g respectively in T1, T2, and T3. Significantly higher mean weight of fish (g) was found in stinging catfish at 45 day fed with live tubificid worm than that of others (P<0.05). The mean weights of stinging catfish, Shingi in three treatments such as T1, T2 and T3 were significantly different (p<0.05) from each other. The best survival was found in T1 (90%) among the treatments fed with live tubificid worm. The best feed conversion ratio (1.5167 ± 0.02028) was observed in T1. Significantly the highest specific growth rate (4.5833 ±0.04631) was obtained in T1.Significantly higher value (17.48 ± 0.28) of protein content was measured in stinging catfish at 45 day fed with live tubificid worm (P<0.05). The objective of the present study was to assess the possibility of improving growth performance of stinging catfish fingerlings with supplemented feeds. As stinging catfish was being grown with several options of feed including three types of feeds, Live Tubifex, Tubifexpowder and Pellet feed were tested.