Effect of Fishmeal Replacement with Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) Meal on Growth Performance and Survival of the Black Molly (Poecilia sphenops)

Abstract

In order to search of viable alternative protein source for aquaculture, a feeding trial of six-months was carried out to test the effect of mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) meal relacing fishmeal protein at 0% (control), 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% in practical diets (named D0, D25, D50, D75 and D100 respectively) on the growth performance, feed utilization and survival of black molly (Poecilia sphenops). At the end of six-months, significantly higher final weight and length were observed in D75 diet fed set followed by D50 set and then in D0 set, whereas lowest value was recorded in D100. The specific growth rate (SGR) in percent of control fishes (D0) was 2.25±0.02, whereas the result of SGR (%) was noted best in D75 set (2.44±0.02) and poorest in the D100 (1.97±0.02). Although D75 diet fed set showed lower feed conversion ratio (FCR), black molly fed with D25 and D50 diets still utilized the diets as well as control (D0) as their values did not vary significantly. Significantly higher survival percentage was 96.67%, observed in D75 set, in contrast lowest found in D100 set (64.44%). Hence, mealworm could be successfully incorporated by replacing fishmeal from 50% to 75% in the diet of black molly with optimal growth, feed utilization and better survival.