Growth and Feed utilization of Catfish Hybrid (Heterobranchus longifilis x Clarias gariepinus ) Fingerlings fed practical diets

The effects of four practical diets (3 commercial and one locally prepared) on growth, feed utilization and survival of catfish hybrid (Heterobranchus longifilis x Clarias gariepinus) fingerlings were compared in plastic aquaria in triplicates for 56days. Diets differed in crude protein (CP) and digestible energy as follows: Commercial Diet 1 (39.73% CP, 3911.8Kcal/kg), Diet 2 (34.50% CP, 3926.8Kcal/kg), Diet 3 (45.37%, 3883.6Kcal/kg) and local Diet 4 (40.34% CP, 3861.8Kcal/kg). Observations made indicated higher performance in weight and percent weight gain (2.299g, 411%), specific growth rate (0.78% day-1), condition factor (0.96), feed conversion ratio (2.67) and protein efficiency ratio (10.73) for fingerlings fed Diet 3 than other diets. Commercial Diet 2 appeared to perform least among the test diets. Fish survival was high and varied between 76.7% (Diet 4) and 96.7% (Diet 1). These results demonstrated that catfish hybrid fingerlings can be successfully reared in aquaria with good feed conversion, growth and high survival on commercially or locally prepared diets with 45.37% CP and adequate energy