EFFECTS OF VARIATION IN FEEDING FREQUENCY ON THE GROWTH AND SURVIVAL OF CLARIAS GARIEPINUS FINGERLINGS

The aim of the research was to determine the effects of feeding frequency on growth and survival of Clarias gariepinus. The feeding frequency ranged from once daily, twice daily, thrice daily to once in two days. The experiment was conducted for 56 days using one hundred and sixty fingerlings. The fingerlings were stocked equally in eight 30 litres plastic aquaria. A commercial feed ( coppens) with nutritional status of crude protein 42%, crude fat 13%, crude fibre 3%, and ash 6.9% was used for the feeding. The fingerlings fed once daily had 20.15g and 15.35cm of the body weight (g) and length (cm) respectively but these were not significantly different from others (P≤ 0.05). The fingerlings fed twice daily had the least mean weight and length but they are significantly difference from others (P≤0.05). Highest specific growth rate (SGR), 2.37 was recorded in the fingerlings fed once daily. The final condition factor values of the fingerlings in each group of the experimented fingerlings were not significantly different (P≤0.05). The fingerlings fed once in two days had the highest feed conversion ratio (FCR), 2.37 while the fingerlings fed once daily had the least value of 1.08. The least value was significantly different from others (P≤0.05). Highest survival rate of 95% was recorded in the fingerlings fed once in two days, followed by those fed once daily with 92.5%. There was no significantly difference in the survival rate in the fingerlings fed once daily and those fed once in two days except those fed twice and thrice daily. The body composition of C. gariepinus fingerlings was greatly influenced by the different feeding regime. This research confirmed that feeding once a day greatly increase growth and survival of C. gariepinus fingerling