Journal of Agriculture
and Environmental Sciences

Effect of Feeding Frequency on the Growth and Feed Utilization of Catfish Hybrid (Heterobranchus bidorsalis X Clarias gariepinus)Fingerlings
Obe, Bernadine Wuraola; Omodara, G. K.

Abstract
Fingerlings of the catfish hybrid, “Heteroclarias” (Heterobranchus bidorsalis X Clarias gariepinus) were randomly stocked into eight tanks of ten fingerlings per tank and subjected to four feeding frequency treatments with each treatment replicated twice. A commercial imported feed “Coppens” was used to feed the fish throughout the experimental period which was measured at 5% of their body weight and fed to the fish at frequencies of once a day, two times a day, three times a day and four times a day for treatments 1-4 respectively. The experiment lasted for a period of seventy days. Fish on treatment T2 (2 times a day) had the best growth rate and feed utilization with specific growth rate of 3.1540±0.14, feed conversion ratio of 2.085±0.08 and protein efficiency ratio of 2.80±0.34 while fish on treatment T3 (3 times a day), had the least growth rate and feed utilization with specific growth rate of 2.7895±0.04, feed conversion ratio of 2.315±0.04 and protein efficiency ratio of 2.13±0.06. It therefore could be concluded that fish fed twice a day with Coppens showed the best growth and feed utilization and is therefore the best feeding frequency.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/jaes.v3n3a2