EVALUATION OF SOME FORMULATED DIETS FOR RE ING T POST-LARVAE OF MACROBRACHIUM ROSENBERGH
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Abstract
Macrobrachium rosenbergii post-larvae with an average weight of 6.26 t
0.23 mg and an average length of 10.67 t 0.13 mm were fed with one of the five
experimental diets having graded levels of lipid (5.0, 7.5, 10.0, 12.5 and 15.0%)
to satiation two times a day to study their effect on growth, survival and
feed utilisation. The highest weight gain was observed in post-larvae fed
7.5% lipid, although there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) between
groups fed 7.5 and 10.0% lipid. Similar effect was observed in the specific
growth rate and protein efficiency ratio of post-larvae fed the diet with 7.5
and 10.0% lipid. The lowest feed conversion ratio was obtained in postlarvae
fed the diet with 7.5% lipid. The survival rates of post-larvae fed on
various levels of dietary lipid differed significantly (p < 0.05) after 15 days of
rearing period. Significantly lower survival was observed in the diet with
15.0% lipid level. Dietary lipid did not significantly affect prawn carcass
protein, lipid and ash contents. Based on the data analysis (ANOVA - one
way analysis), the dietary lipid requirement for 15 days of nursery rearing
of Macrobrachium rosenbergii post-larvae was estimated to be 7.5 to 10.0%
under experimental conditions in this study.
Keywords: Macrobrachium rosenbergii, post-larvae, nursery rearing,
formulated diets, lipid requirement