Total Replacement of Fish Oil by Balanites aegyptiaca and Adansonia digitata Seed Oils in Diets of Clarias anguillaris Fry

Abstract

Clarias anguillaris fries were fed with three isoproteic (30.25%) and isoenergetic (1.42 MJ/Kg) diets to evaluate the effects of plant seed oil on the growth performance, feed efficiency and survival rate. The test was carried out on Clarias anguillaris with an initial average weight of 0.07 g distributed in 6 plastic tanks with a stocking density of 15 fries each. The treatments were in duplicate for 45 days. The results of this experiment showed that the fish fed diet B containing Adansonia digitata seed oil as a source of lipid has the best total average weight gain (AWGa) (0.15g) compared to those fed with P and S diets containing fish oil and the Balanites aegyptiaca seed oil respectively. Similar results were obtained with the specific growth rate, which showed a significant difference between the fish fed with B diet and those fed with S and P diets that do not differ significantly between them. The best feed conversion rate (FCR) was obtained with the fish fed with B diet, which showed a significant difference with the fish fed with P and S. The best survival rate (SR) of 80% was obtained with the fish fed with diet B, followed by 73% in fish fed with diet S, and finally the lowest value 67% was contained in the fish fed with the control diet P. The best protein efficiency ratio (PER) was obtained with the fish fed with diet B (1.16) followed by the fish fed with diet S (0.80) compared with the fish fed with the control diet P (0.74). From the results of this study, we can say the replacement of fish oil with Balanites aegyptiaca seed oil and Adansonia digitata seed oil has no negative impact on the growth of Clarias anguillaris fries. In conclusion, diet B containing Adansonia digitata seed oil appears to be more suitable for Clarias anguillaris fry growth.