Evaluation of pink perch (Nemipterus japonicus) meat incorporated diet on growth and survival of post-larvae of Macrobrachium rosenbergii (de Man)

Abstract

Macrobrachium rosenbergii post-larvae (PL-5, average weight 10.5 0.21 mg, average length 12.1 0.33 mm) were fed five different diets, diets 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, each made up of varying amounts of pink perch (Nemipterus japonicus) meat powder, with percentages of 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40%, respectively. Other items included in both diets were groundnut oil cake, rice bran, wheat flour, chicken egg, agar, and mineral combination. Four duplicates of each treatment were performed throughout the 30-day experiment, which was carried out in plastic 40-liter tubs. At a stocking density of 2 PL L1, post-larvae were fed 20% of their whole-body weight. In the post-larvae fed on diet-II as compared to other diets, significant (P0.05) results were seen for the biometrics parameters of percentage weight increase (569.34), higher specific growth rate (6.30), higher protein efficiency ratio (2.37) and food conversion ratio (1.075). However, none of the five examined diets significantly differed (p>0.05) in terms of the proportion of post-larvae that survived after being fed.