Evaluation of house fly (Musca domestica) maggot meal and termite (Macrotermes subhyalinus) meal as supplementary feed for African catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822)

Abstract

A 56-day feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effects of the combination of maggot and termite meal with Coppens commercial feed on the growth performance, food utilization and survival of the African catfish (C. gariepinus). A total of 150 fingerlings were stocked in fifteen glass aquaria, 10 each in triplicate. Fish in aquarium A1, A2 and A3 were fed maggot meal (100 %- MM), B1, B2 and B3 with termite meal (100 % - TM), C1, C2 and C3 with equal combination of maggot meal and Coppens feed (50:50), D1, D2, and D3 with equal combination of termite meal and Coppens feed (50:50) and E1, E2 and E3 with Coppens feed (100 %). Growth performance including length gain, weight gain, growth rate, specific growth rate and mean growth rate and food utilization indices including food consumed (g), food conversion ratio and food conversion ratio showed significant variation (P<0.05) in fish fed Coppens feed compared to other treatments. Physico-chemical parameters and ammonia (mg/l) were within the acceptable range for optimal growth of freshwater fishes. Although Coppens was the best result for growth and food utilization, the combination of maggot/termite meal with Coppens as supplementary feed will reduce the cost of fish production exposing farmers to a higher profit margin. In conclusion, feeding fish with only termite meal or maggot meal can lead to poor growth because these insect meals do not provide all the nutrients required for optimal growth in fish. However, maggot meal and termite meal should be used as only as a supplementary food in fish culture or as a replacement for highly priced fishmeal in fish feed formulation because they are rich in protein.