The Effects of Partial Replacement of Fish-Meal with Mesquite Pods on Growth Parameters of Tilapia Fry, Oreochromis mossambicus

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the effect of partial replacement of fish-meal with 15%, 30% and 45% of
Mesquite pods (MP) in testing diets on growth parameters of Tilapia fries, Oreochromis mossambicus which reared
in glass aquarium for 12 weeks. Twenty O. mossambicus fries (Mean initial weight 3.33 g) were randomly distributed
into each 12 glass aquariums (measuring 50 x 50 x 50 cm) filled with tap water to 40 cm depth. Four treatments were
formulated in this experiment. The first treatment was controlled and three testing diets contain 15%, 30% and 45%
of MP. The results showed that the replacement of fish meal with Mesquite pods significantly reduced all growth
parameters such as final weight, weight gain, food conversion ratio, specific growth rate, relative growth rate and
protein efficiency ratio and survival of Tilapia fries Oreochromis mossambicus compared with control (without
Mesquite pods) . The highest final performance weight of 67.33g was obtained in fish fed on control diet and the
lowest weight was 44.53g with fish fed on 45% MP in testing diet. Also when using Mesquite pods as partial
replacement of fish meal observed significantly elevated in all proximate composition of fish such as lipid, fiber and
ash, except protein. From these results, it can be concluded that fish fed on testing diets had the acceptable growth
performance when fish-meal was replaced with 15%, 30% and 45% of MP in testing diets.