Growth responses of Clariid catfish (Clarias gariepinus) fingerlings to dietary decorticated Bambara groundnut (Voandzeia subterranea)

Ground decorticated toasted Bambara groundnut (BG) was incorporated as a non-conventional feedstuff at 0,10,20,30 and 40% levels and fed to Clarias gariepinus fingerlings in plastic aquaria twice daily to satiation. Partial replacement of soyabean with varying levels of Von deaza subterranean seed meal at 10%, 20%, 30% and 40% were fed to Clarias gariepinus fingerling for 70 days. One hundred and ten (110) fingerlings with an initial mean weight of 2.0g were allotted at random to five treatments in triplicate groups with each treatment tank having five fingerlings and were fed with isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets containing 40% crude protein (CP). The protein efficiency ratio was not significantly different (P>0.05) among all the treatment while feed conversion ratio and percentage weight gain was significantly different (P>0.05) among all the treatment. Although, the percentage weight gain of fish, and feed conversion ratio was highest in treatments 40% (22.09) and 10% (3.17) respectively, feed conversion ratio was lowest in treatment 40% (1.69). Protein efficiency ratio, specific growth rate, mean weight gain of fish, feed intake were all lowest in treatment II. Survival rate among treatments slightly varied significantly with treatments 30% and 40% being highest. Net Protein Utilization (NPU) at the end of the experiment was significantly different with treatment 40% being the highest and control diet lowest.