Growth Performance of Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) Fed with Vigna subterranea at Different Inclusion Levels

Abstract

Vigna subterranea is an herbaceous legume from the family Fabaceae reported to contain 14-24% crude protein. The overdependence on fishmeal has led to inflation in the price of the fish feed thereby making fishes expensive. The experiment aims at evaluating the growth performance of Clarias gariepinus fed with Vigna subterranea at different inclusion levels. The effect of Vigna subterranea (Bambara nut) as an ingredient in the diets of Clarias gariepinus with an average body weight of 5.97±15 was evaluated over eight (8) weeks feeding trial. Six experimental diets were formulated at 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50% inclusions of Bambara nut meal (BNM) and a control (commercial feed) labelled T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6 and T7 respectively. The seeds were processed by soaking in water, air dried, toasted and ground using a mortar and pestle to obtain Bambara nut meal used to replace fishmeal at different inclusion levels. The experiment was conducted using 25 litre capacity rubber tanks at the stocking density of 10 fingerlings per tank and replicated three times. Fish-fed T6 (50% inclusion of BNM) produced the best result, it was followed by T5 and T4 though there was no significant difference between the control (0% and commercial feed) and the formulated diets at p-value (˂0.05). The study shows that processed BNM can replace fish meal in the diet of African Catfish at graded levels of up to 50%.