PARTIAL REPLACEMENT OF SOYBEAN MEAL WITH BLACK SEED AND ROQUETTE SEED MEALS IN NILE TILAPIA (Oreochromis niloticus) FINGERLINGS DIETS.

Abstract

Black seed meal (Nigella sativa) and roqutte seed meals (Eruca sativa) were tested to replace soybean meal (SBM) in diets for mono sex Nile tilapia fingerlings (Orecreomis niloticus). Nine isonitrogenous (30% CP), isocaloric (460 kcal GE/100g) diets were formulated to contain black seed (BSM) and roquette seed meals (RSM) as a partial replacement of soybean meal at different levels (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20%) forming 9 treatments, 4 with BSM and 4 with RSM and the control. The diets were fed daily at a rate of 4 % of fish body weight in triplicate groups with 15 Nile tilapia fingerlings each (3.14g/fish), in 80 l glass aquaria for 90 days period. Data collected were on growth rate, feed utilization and body composition along with simple economic evaluation. Results of growth performance showed that SBM substitution with BSM and RSM were nearly similar. Survival rate was not affected greatly but it seems that all levels of BSM substitution were more favorable than the other RSM substitutions. As for feed utilization most treatments used showed similar results to the control. The 20 % RSM replacement (instead of SBM) showed the lowest values. Carcass CP content was not affects by all levels of BSM and 5 to 15% levels of RSM that substituted SBM. Carcass fat content showed no significant differences among all groups and the control group. The highest ash content in fish body was obtained by fish fed T9 diet which contained 20% RSM as a partial replacement of SBM. The present study suggest that BSM and RSM have were more economic efficiency when replacing SBM at levels of 20% and 15%, respectively in Nile tilapia fingerlings diets.