EFFECT OF FEEDING FREQUENCY ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE, FEED UTILAZATION AND SURVIVAL RATE OF Clariasgariepinus (African catfish) FINGERLINGS

Abstract

The effect of feeding frequency on growth performance and feed utilization was
investigated in the biological garden for a period of 42 days. Fingerlings of
Clariasgariepinus were randomly stocked into nine plastic tanks of fifteen fingerlings
per tank. The experimental fishes were subjected to three frequency treatments with
each treatment triplicated. The fishes were fed at 3% of their body weight daily at the
three-feeding frequency (once, twice and thrice). Fish on treatment T2 (fed two times
a day) had the best growth rate and feed utilization with specific growth rate of
43.52±0.85, feed conversion ratio of 1.85±4.82 and protein efficiency ratio of
0.56±0.24 while fish on treatment T3 (fed three times a day), had the least growth rate
and feed utilization with specific growth rate of 22.45±0.62, feed conversion ratio of
5.49±3.15 and protein efficiency ratio of 0.08±0.16.Survivalrate was highest in twice
daily feeding frequency and lowest in thrice feeding frequency. Generally, it could be
concluded that fishes fed twice a day with vital feed showed the best growth and feed
utilization as well as best survival, therefore, the best feeding frequency.