Adult artemia as life feed for african catfish (Clarias gariepinus) fingerlings

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness using adult Artemia as live feed for African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) fingerling based on the growth and survival rate of fish. This experiment was conducted for 5 weeks and there are three diets for each group of fish that are (1) live adult Artemia; (2) live adult Artemia and pallet; (3) a commercial starter pellet. There have 3 replicate for each group and each replicate have 18 fish. Every week 10 fish was weighing by randomly for each replicate. Fish was feed 10% of their body weight and every weeks feed gives to fish was adjusted. In the end experiment Artemia and pellet that used in this experiment was make protein analysis approximation to know their protein content. From the proximate analysis show that adult Artemia have 14% of protein composition while pellet have 34% of protein composition. From this experiment adult Artemia as diet show lowest growth rate compare to combination adult Artemia and pellet as diets and using pallet as diets. This result was due to low protein content in adult Artemia compare to pallet. For FCR value, Artemia show highest FCR value for first weeks of experiment. This was due to failure of fish to recognized adult Artemia as their feeds because of transparent colour of adult Artemia and their movement is too fast. That also explains why there a high mortality in adult Artemia treatment. Adult Artemia as diet shows the highest mortality rate that is 22.2%, while combination both adult Artemia and pellet as diet shows 14.81 % of mortality rate and pellet as diet shows the lowest mortality rate that is, 5.56%. For the next weeks of experiment there are decreases of FCR value for adult Artemia. It means fish start to recognize adult Artemia as their feeds. The study had show that adult Artemia not improve the grow rate of African catfish furthermore pellet as diet had a better growth rate and survival rate than using adult Artemia. This is because the different level of nutritive value especially protein content.