GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF CLARIID CATFISH AND THEIR HYBRID FED WITH COMMERCIAL AND FORMULATED FEED FROM LOCALLY AVAILABLE AGRICULTURAL BY-PRODUCTS

Abstract

This study investigated the growth performance of three Clariid catfish species Clarias gariepinus, Heterobranchus longifilis, and their hybrid, heteroclarias fed with commercial and compounded feeds. The research aimed to determine the efficiency of a formulated least-cost feed compared to commercial feed in promoting fish growth. The study was conducted at the Fish Farm of Prince Abubakar Audu University, Nigeria, using an experimental setup involving 18 hapas. Growth performance metrics such as mean weight gain, specific growth rate, and feed conversion ratio were calculated for the species over the trial period. Results indicated that the hybrid Heteroclarias exhibited the highest growth rates and feed utilization, followed by Clarias gariepinus and Heterobranchus longifilis. Fish fed with the compounded feed performed slightly better than those on commercial feed. This finding suggests that locally formulated diets from agricultural by-products could offer a cost-effective alternative to commercial feeds for sustainable aquaculture in Nigeria. The study highlights the potential of compounded feed to enhance growth performance and support food security in aquaculture.