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Abstract

It was evaluated whether earthworm meal can fully replace fishmeal in supplemental feeds for common carp (Cyprinus carpio) that also feed on natural food resources in semi-intensive aquaculture. A net cage trial (32 nets) was carried out using three iso-nitrogenous feeds fed to common carp either at a level of 10 g/kg 0.8 metabolic body mass (5 fish per cage) or 20 g/kg 0.8 metabolic body mass (10 fish per cage). In feeds, fishmeal protein was replaced by 0 %, 50 % or 100 % of protein from sun dried earthworms (Perionyx excavatus). At both stocking densities, control groups of fish fed only on natural food resources. The growth rate of fish increased with rising replacement of fishmeal by earthworm meal at both feeding rates. Large zooplankton were the predominant natural food resource. With increasing availability of large zooplankton, sun dried earthworm meal in plant-based supplemental feeds seemed better able to meet the nutritional requirements of common carp than fishmeal. Integration of earthworm production (vermin culture) into small-scale farms in developing countries may open the possibility for farmers in rural areas to engage in semi-intensive aquaculture by using earthworms as a feed ingredient in supplemental feeds for common carp.

Utilization of the earthworm,Eisenia fetida(Savigny, 1826) as an alternative protein source in fish feeds processing: A review

“…Large-scale vermicomposting is usually integrated in semi-intensive fish farming to supplement limiting nutrients from natural feeds (Pucher et al, 2013(Pucher et al, , 2014. Earthworm biomass from large-scale vermicomposting has been used to reduce cannibalism in African catfish (C. gariepinus) at high stocking densities (Chakrabarty, Das, Das & Biswas, 2009).…”

“…For these reasons, the simple biotechnology of vermicomposting coupled with the best aquaculture management practices can promote fish productivity and improve feed utilization, and thus increasing financial benefit to small-scale rural farmers who represent the greatest population living with poverty in developing countries (Pucher et al, 2013). More economic benefits can be achieved through ecological balance which is achieved through the autonomous agro-ecosystems that promotes recycling (Pucher et al, 2014).…”

“…Therefore, when processing E. fetida for fish feeds, it is advisable to thoroughly clean the earthworm so as to remove the coelom, which apart from being toxic, it reduces palatability of worm meal to fish due to its foul garlic smell (Kobayashi et al, 2001;Ohta, Aizu, Kaneko, Sato & Kobayashi, 2003;. In addition, since lysenin is a heat-labile protein, blanching E. fetida in hot water or cooking earthworm meal reduces the coelom fluid toxicity to fish (Kobayashi et al, 2001;Pucher et al, 2014;Tacon et al, 1983).…”

“…There are several earthworm species that have been tested for fish feed production (Dedeke, Owa, Olurin, Akinfe & Awotedu, 2013;Istiqomah, Sofyan, Damayanti & Julendra, 2009;Pucher et al, 2014;Tacon, Stafford & Edwards, 1983;Tram, Ngoan & Ogle, 2005;Vodounnou, Juste, Kpogue, Apollinaire & Didier, 2016). For example, Blue worm (Perionyx excavatus) and African night crawler (Eudrilus eugeniae) have comparable nutritional content with fishmeal that are within the recommended nutritional requirements of most fish (Pucher et al, 2014;Tram et al, 2005). However, the two earthworm species are not adaptable to wide range of climate and excess handling (Hasanuzzaman, Ahamed, Rahmatullah, Akhter & Rahman, 2010;Savala, 2007;Sinha, Herat, Valani & Krunalkumar, 2009;Tram et al, 2005).…”

“…Perionyx excavatus resulted in similar or higher growth rate, protein efficiency and energy retention in Common carp (Cyprinus carpio) compared to fishmeal in the diet (Ngoc, Pucher, Becker & Focken, 2016). However, P. excavatus meal if not thermally treated might depress fish growth due to the presence of anti-nutritional factors (Pucher et al, 2014). Other species such as Lumbricus rubellus and Lumbricus terrestris have also been studied with limited success to replace fishmeal due to incomparable nutritional contents.…”