Response of African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) Fry to Wild and Cultured Zooplankton

Abstract

This study is designed to determine the growth and survival rate of C. gariepinus fed on wild zooplankton, cultured zooplankton and artemia. The experiment was conducted in four (4) different trials with each trial lasting for two weeks. The entire experiment took place over eight (8) weeks. It was found that trials which were fed with cultured zooplankton recorded the highest weight gain with a value of 0.022 g, followed by the trials fed with wild zooplankton with a value of 0.020 g and lastly the least weight gain was for the trials fed with artemia with a value of 0.017 g. No significant difference (p>0.05) existed amongst all feeding trials. It was also found in this study that larval catfish of age 3-15 days (average total length 1.167-1.600 cm) consumed zooplankton and gave better growth compared to those fed with Artemia. The study showed that larval catfish fed with artemia had the highest specific growth rate with value of 6.08 % followed by the trials fed with cultured zooplankton with a value of 5.88 % and the least specific growth rate was for trials fed with wild zooplankton with a value of 4.32 %. The survival rate showed that trials fed with artemia had the highest survival rate with a value of 82.250 % followed by trials fed with cultured zooplankton with a value of 78.785 % and the lowest survival rate was for trials fed with wild zooplankton with a value of 28.625 %. A significant difference (p<0.05) existed amongst all trials fed with artemia. From these present research findings it can be concluded that cultured zooplankton is advisable and should be fed to larval catfish.

Keywords: Cultured zooplankton, Wild Zooplankton, Artemia, C. gariepinus.