Effect of using red-claw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) meal, blood meal or black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae meal / as replacement for fishmeal on the growth and survival rate of the three spotted tilapia (Oreochromis andersonii).
Date
2023
Authors
Kabati, Chilufya
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The University of Zambia
Abstract
Aquaculture is fastest food producing sector in the world with most of the production coming from
small and medium income countries, Unfortunately, the development of aquaculture in Africa has
largely lagged behind Asian countries due to the high cost and scarcity of fishmeal, which is an
important animal protein source used in the formulation of good quality fish feed. The objective
of this study was to compare the effect of red-claw crayfish meal, bloodmeal or black soldier fly
larvae meal as replacement of fishmeal on growth performance, survival and whole-body
composition of Oreochromis andersonii. Four diets containing 35% crude protein were provided
at 5% live body weight to four groups of O. andersonii fingerlings of 2.92 ± 0.1g replicated 3
times for 90 days; Diet 1 (control) contained fishmeal (FM), Diet 2 contained Red-claw crayfish
meal (CFM), Diet 3 contained bloodmeal (BM), Diet 4 contained black soldier fly larvae meal
(BSFM). The final mean weight varied from 20.87±0.16g(BM) to 23.39±0.25g(FM) and Weight
gain varied from 17.92±0.16g(BM) to 20.50±0.27g(FM) respectively, FM was significantly
different (P < 0.05) from CFM and BM but was not significantly different (P > 0.05) from BSFM
with respect to final mean weight and weight gain of fish respectively. Specific growth rate (SGR)
ranged from 2.17±0.02g(BM) to 2.33±0.02g(FM), in this category FM did not differ significantly
(P > 0.05) from BSFM and it was significantly higher in these two treatments, however, FM was
significantly different (P < 0.05) from CFM and BM. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) showed
significant differences (P < 0.05) across the treatments with BSFM(1.24±0.01) performing
significantly better than other treatments followed by FM, BM(2.06±0.02) was significantly lower.
The results showed that the best growth performance and good feed utilization was noticed in FM
and BSFM and the least was observed in BM. Furthermore, survival rate of fish ranged from
89±0.05% (BM) to 98±0.02% (CFM) and it did not differ significantly (P > 0.05) across the
treatments. Crude protein ranged from 40.47±0.52% (CFM) to 56.19±0.72% (BM), fish fed FM
was significantly different (P < 0.05) from those fed CFM and BSFM but it was not significantly
different (P > 0.05) from that fed BM. Crude fat varied from 27.33±0.21% (FM) to 40.41±0.41%
(BSFM), significant differences (P < 0.05) were observed in crude fat across all the treatments.
The Ash content varied from 15.44±0.35%(CFM) to 16.55±0.23%(FM), significant differences (P
< 0.05) in ash content were observed between fish fed FM and those fed CFM and BM but fish
iv
fed FM was not significantly different (P > 0.05) from that fed BSFM, however among the
treatments, fish fed CFM and BM were not significantly different (P > 0.05) from each other. The
results of this study shows that black soldier fly larvae meal (BSFM) can be used to replace
fishmeal (FM) in fish feeds without having any adverse effect on growth performance, survival
rate and whole-body composition of Oreochromis andersonii.
Key words: Red-claw Crayfish, Black soldier fly larvae, blood meal, Fishmeal, Oreochromis
andersonii
Description
Thesis
Keywords
Fishmeal. , Aquaculture--Economic aspects. , Aquaculture--Fishmeal.