Growth performance and proximate composition of Nile Tilapia Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus 1758) using Moina macrocopa (Straus 1820) as live feed

Abstract

Tilapia is one of most widely cultured fish in the world. According to FAO, 2009 farmed tilapia represents more than 75% of world tilapia production. Tilapia is considered suitable for culture, because of their high tolerance to adverse environmental condition, their relatively fast growth and resistance to disease, excellent quality of its firmly textured flesh and finely appetizing fish to the consumer. Tilapia feed on a wide of dietary sources, including phytoplankton, zooplanktons, larval fish and detritus. The objective of the present study was to assess the better growth performance of tilapia fry with live feed Moina macrocopa in comparison to commercial feed. Three feeds were used in three treatments where treatment T1 using hand made feed (control), Treatment-T2 using commercial feed and treatment-T3 Moina macrocopa as live feed. Thirty fry were stocked in each 60 L aquarium for 56 days rearing. The fishes were fed twice a day of body weight for first 20 days 10%, then 8% for 15 days and 5% for remaining days. Sampling was done at 14 days interval. The rearing and feeding trail in the experimental condition the changes in growth and feed utilization by tilapia fry fed on live feed and other feed have been assessed by the determination of condition factor (K%), average daily gain (ADG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), specific growth rate (SGR), survival rate (SR). The average growth performance of moina macrocopa was more in spirulina, 710 individuals/ L of water, 600 individuals/L of water was found at 12 days. After culturing 30 days proximate composition of m macrocopa was found moisture protein fat ash content 87.32%, 8.5%, 3.22% and 0.6% respectively The highest average daily gain 0.13± 0.01 g/day, specific growth rate 3.90±0.88, survival rate 91.5±1.5% were found after rearing of 56 days in treatment T3 (live M. macrocopa as feed). The lowest average daily gain 0.04± 0.02, specific growth rate 1.72 ± 0.82, feed conversion ratio 0.69 ± 0.41, survival rate 88.5% was found at treatment T1 (control). Highest protein content 15.91% was found in treatment T3, Where the protein content in commercial feed and handmade feed were 11.88% and 10.96 % respectively. From the present study it may be stated that live M. macrocopa may be used as a good feed for tilapia fry rearing.