International Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Research

Authors
Okoro C B, Achilike N M, Elezuo K O

Abstract
The effect of feed rationing on growth performance of Clarias gariepinus post fry was investigated using 0.3m3 plastic tanks. Nine hundred C. gariepinus post fry of mean weight 0.98 ± 0.02g were randomly allocated to three treatments replicated thrice. Fish in each treatment were fed twice daily with three different ration sizes of 5% (T1), 3% (T2) and 1% (T3) fish body weight per day, constituting the treatments. The fish were sampled on a weekly basis and the weight measurement taken. The culture water was changed completely twice in a week to maintain good water quality throughout the culture period. At the end of the five weeks culture period, percentage mortality was recorded for each treatment. Data collected were subjected to one way analysis of variance and level of significance was determined at p < 0.05. The results shows that T1 had the highest weekly weight increase of 1.27± 0.45g, 2.41± 0.57g, 3.08± 0.53g, 4.05± 0.88g and 4.92±0.88g for weeks 1,2,3,4 and,5 respectively, while T3 had the least weekly weight increase. There was no significant difference among the treatments’ weekly weight incresse. T1 had the least mortality rate of 22.5%, followed by T2 (44.3%) while T3 had the highest value of 70.5%. It was recommended that fish farmers should feed Clarias gariepinus post fry with a ration size of at least 5% body weight per day.