Growth performance of Clarias gariepinus fingerlings fed diets with graded levels of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) used as a floater additive in concrete tanks

Completely randomized design with duplicate groups were used to study the growth performance of 400 fingerlings of Clarias gariepinus in 2m x 2m x 1m concrete tanks in an out-door hatchery complex of National Institute for Freshwater Fisheries Research (NIFFR), New Bussa, Niger State, Nigeria. Graded levels (0, 1,2,3 or 4) % of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) was included into a 40% crude protein (C.P) NIFFR floating basal diet and fed to Clarias gariepinus in tanks for 16 weeks and 35% in the last 4 weeks. This was to determine the optimum level of supplemental yeast inclusion as a floater additive into diets of C. gariepinus and to quantify feed and its cost for raising a kilogram of the fish fed diets. The experiment was geared towards development of cost effective standard floating feed for Clarias gariepinus. There was no significant difference in weight gain (WG), feed consumed (FC), specific growth rate (SGR), survival, cost of feed consumed (CFC) and palatability test of flesh (P>0.05) except FCR (P<0.05) and feed cost per kilogram of fish (P