Fisheries and Aquaculture Journal
Open Access

Abstract

Utilization of Tigernut (Cyperus esculentus L.) Meal as Dietary Supplement by African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus Burchell, 1822)

Lukman A Agbabiaka and Chukwuka F Ezeafulukwe

Two hundred and fifty five Clarias gariepinus fingerlings with average body weight of 5.0  1.0 g were allotted to five isoproteic diets (CP 5 40%) in which tigernut replaced maize at 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% respectively. The catfish fingerlings were divided into five groups of 45 fish per treatment and fed at 3% biomass for 20 weeks. Result showed significant (p , 0.05) differences in feed intake and specific growth rate but no significant ( p . 0.05) differences in feed conversion ratio (FCR) and body weight changes among the dietary treatments. This indicates that tigernut meal can be tolerated as replacement for whole maize in African catfish diets without compromising production/yield.