ABSTRACT

This study assessed the effect of partial and complete replacement of maize (ZeaMaysL.) with graded levels of melon shell and melon back (Cucumeropsis mannii) in the diet of clariasgariepinus. In a 60 days study in which 10 clarias gariepinus fingerlings   stocked in each of 6 rectangular plastic tanks with dimension 10x12x20 filled with water to half its capacity and made in duplicates,were fed with feed which contains (20% maize, 10% melon shell, 20% melon shell) as one treatment and another treatment which contains (20% maize, 10% melon back, 20% melon back), the fish were fed to satiation twice daily, and the water parameters were monitored. The weight gains in the different treatments subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed no significant difference (P<0.05) among treatments. T-test showed no significant difference (P<0.05)between the melon shell and melon back treatments even though there were no a significant difference (P<0.05) among treatments, it was observed that melon back meal (MBM) 20% had the highest weight gain (23.86g), the highest specific growth rate (0.91%), and the highest daily weight gain (1.2g).  This was attributed to the fact that feed which contains 20% melon back floated longer, giving the fingerlings greater opportunity to feed on. The acceptance of melon back meal by clarias gariepinus is an indication that replacement of maize with melon back meal could be more profitable to fish farmers as maize is more expensive than melon back which is considered as waste.  This study therefore suggest that melon back could be added to feed to enhance its floating ability.

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