Effects of Dietary Replacement of Maize with Sweet Potato Peel in the Diet of African Catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822)

Abstract

This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of dietary replacement ofmaize with sweet potato peel in the diet of Clarias gariepinus juveniles.The levels of the SPP inclusion in the experimental diets were 0%, 25%,50%, 75% and 100%. All the diets were iso-nitrogenous. One hundred andfifty (150) C. gariepinus juveniles (33 g ~ 35 g) were randomly distributedto five treatments with three replicates each and 5% of their body weightfor 12 weeks. Fish carcass proximate compositions analyzed before andafter feeding with the experimental diets shows that CP and EE differedsignificantly (p<0.05) among the experimental fish and the control, exceptthe percentage CP of the fish fed SPP0% and SPP50% in which there wasno significant difference (p>0.05). Highest MWG of 207.70±25.95 g wasobtained in the fish fed SPP100% followed by 191.30±16.15 g obtained inthe fish fed SPP75%. The least MWG of 149.83±16.01 g was recorded infish fed SPP25%. The highest FCR of 3.61±0.45 g was recorded in the fishfed SPP100%. A steady decrease in FCR was observed with decreasinginclusion levels of SPP meal. However, higher FW, FL, SGR and PERwere observed in the experimental fish as from 50% inclusion levels of theSPP. The cost of feed per kg was reduced and the NP and WG increasedwith increasing levels of SPP and the profitability was enhanced at 100%SPP inclusion level. The results revealed that C. gariepinus juvenile couldtolerate up to 50%, 75% and 100% inclusion levels of SPP. The best growthperformance was recorded in the fish fed SPP100%, therefore, sweet potatopeel can replace maize in the diet of C. gariepinus without any inauspiciouseffect on the growth performance and nutrient utilization.