Effect of feeding on fresh (wet) housefly maggots (Musca domestica) with or without artificial diet on water quality and growth rates of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus Burchell, 1822) fry under laboratory conditions

Abstract

No or little information on the use fresh (wet) housefly maggots (Musca domestica) in African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) fry feeding. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the effect of feeding on fresh (wet) housefly maggots with or without artificial diet on water quality, growth performance, survival percentage and feed utilization of African catfish fry under laboratory conditions. Housefly maggots produced from a mixture of poultry droppings and foods wastes, it was used to replace artificial feed at 0, 50 and 100% levels. Catfish were fed artificial diet alone (Feed 1), fresh (wet) housefly maggots alone (Feed 2), and 50% fresh housefly maggots with 50% artificial diet (Feed 3) were prepared and tested on triplicate groups of African catfish fry (initial weight of 0.25±0.02 g) for 60 days. Results showed that final weight (g/fish) was significantly highest (P£0.05) in fish fed feed 3 (6.03±0.08), followed by fish fed feed 2 (4.62±0.27), followed by fish fed feed 1 (3.15±0.68). Specific growth rate (%/day) was also significantly highest in fish fed feed 3 (5.31±0.10), followed by fish fed feed 2 (4.86±0.03), followed by fish fed feed 1 (4.18±0.24). The same trend was observed with total weight gain, percentage weight gain, daily growth rate and relative growth rate. Feed intake and protein intake were significantly highest (P£0.05) in fish fed feed 3 and fish fed feed 2, followed by fish fed feed 1. While, feed conversion ratio (FCR) and protein efficiency ratio were not significantly (P>0.05), but the improvement in FCR recorded in catfish fry fed feed 3 and feed 2 under the experimental conditions. Survival percentage was within the range 55–75%, with insignificant differences (P>0.05) among treatments. The water quality parameters such as temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, total ammonia, nitrite and nitrate were not significantly (P>0.05) among the treatments and were tolerable for fish culture. Accordingly, use of the 50% fresh (wet) housefly maggots with 50% artificial diet in African catfish fry feeding had positive effect on growth performance and reduce of the feed cost.