1Fisheries Research Centre, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat-785 013, Assam, India
2College of Fisheries, Assam Agricultural University, Raha-782 103, Nagaon, Assam, India
3Education System Management Division, ICAR-National Academy of Agricultural Research Management, Rajendranagar-500 030, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
*Corresponding Author: Pabitra Kumar Saharia, College of Fisheries, Assam Agricultural University, Raha-782 103, Nagaon, Assam, India, Email: pabitra.saharia@aau.ac.in
Clarias magur is an airbreathing walking cat fish native to South Asia with high market value. Successful culture of this species depends on proper feed supplementation and utilization. Therefore, an experiment was conducted to study the effect of black soldier fly larvae meal (BSFLM) incorporated diet on growth performances, nutrient utilization and haematological changes by replacing fish meal (FM) in Clarias magur.
The experimental fishes were reared in controlled condition for 120 days and fed with 6 different isonitrogenous sinking experimental diets having 35% crude protein. The main ingredient in experimental diet was BSFLM, which was incorporated as an alternative source to FM along with soyabean meal (SM), mustard oil cake (MOC) and wheat bran (WB) with varying percentage. Healthy Clarias magur fingerlings were (average individual weight of 2 g) stocked in experimental tanks at a stocking density of 4 fish per m2 area.
The highest final mean weight of Clarias magur was found to be 52.67 g (T2) followed by 42.59 g (T1) which was significantly different (P<0.05) when compared within the treatments. Final biomass (755.13±27.6 g) was found be to significantly high in T2 (P<0.05) when compared to other treatments. The lowest value of feed conversion ratio (2.10±0.03) was observed for treatment T2 followed by T1 (2.18±0.02) and protein efficiency ratio was highest for treatment T2 (1.41±0.02) followed by T3 (1.40±0.04) with significant variation (P<0.05) among treatments. Haematological indices also showed significant differences (P<0.05) among treatments, T2 recorded the highest RBC (2.10 million/m3) followed by T3 (1.92 million/m3). On the contrary, WBC level was found highest in Treatment T5 (49.64 million/m3) followed by T4 (48.17 million/m3). Thus, from the above findings, it can be stated that 50% replacement of fish meal with BSFLM enhanced growth performance and health status of Clarias magur. Thus, BSFL may be considered as a viable source of animal protein for Clarias magur in the aquafeed business.
Black soldier fly larvae, Clarias magur, Fish meal, Growth, Haematology
