Abstract
Fingerlings of catfish (Clarias aariepinus) of average weight 0.87 g were collected from ARAC, Port Harcourt and used to assess the responses of feeding dietary levels of cassava leaf meal on nutrient utilization and growth of the fish. 35% isonitrogeneous diets of 0%, 10%, 20% and 30% dietary levels of cassava leaf meal were formulated. These were fed to the fingerlings randomly assigned to 4 treatments TCN (Control), TC1 (10% CLM), TC2 (20% CLM) and TC3 (30% CLM) respectively in 3 replicates of 13 fingerlings each, using 12 plastic aquaria of 250 x 150 cm dimension. The fish were fed at 5% body weight twice daily within the experimental period of 8 weeks. Mortality range was between 20 and 24%, the least observed on the TCN (control) while TC2 and TC3 were the highest. Daily feed intake and protein intake were not significantly (p>0.05) different. The control (TCN) had the highest body weight gain, followed by TC2, TC3 and then TC1. Specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio and protein efficiency ratio for the control (TCN) were significantly (p<0.05) better than other treatments. The dietary inclusion levels of cassava leaf meal therefore seem to have no strong nutritional attribute as feedstuff in the diet of Clarias gariepinus fingerlings.
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