DIETARY SUBSTITUTION OF DIFFERENTLY PROCESSED PLANTAIN (Musa paradisiaca) PEELS FOR MAIZE ENHANCED GROWTH PERFORMANCE, FEED UTILIZATION, BODY COMPOSITION, AND SURVIVAL IN Clarias gariepinus FINGERLINGS

Abstract

An eight-week feeding trial was conducted to appraise the effect of substituting differently processed plantain (Musa paradisiaca) peels for maize on the growth response, feed utilization, body composition, and survival in Clarias gariepinus fingerlings. Soaked Plantain Peel Meal (SPPM), Boiled Plantain Peel Meal (BPPM), and Oven-dried Plantain Peel Meal (OPPM) were substituted for maize. Four isonitrogenous diets (40% crude protein) were formulated with SPPM, BPPM, and OPPM, each substituted for maize, while the fourth diet (tagged control treatment) was without plantain peel meal. The diets were administered twice daily (07:00 - 08:00 AM and 4:00 - 5:00 PM) at 5% of body weight to 15 fingerlings randomly stocked in each of 12 glass tanks for eight weeks. Diets and fish samples were analyzed using standard procedures. Data on Mean Weight Gain (MWG), Specific Growth Rate (SGR), and Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) at p = 0.05. Post-experimental fish carcass crude protein significantly (p<0.05) surpassed the initial value in the pre-experimental fish. The best MWG, SGR, and FCR were obtained for fingerlings fed with a boiled plantain peel meal-supplemented diet, and the least MWG, SGR, and FCR were observed in those placed on the control diet. Fish percentage survival was fairly high in both the test treatments and the control treatment. This study revealed that differently processed plantain peel meals enhanced fish growth, and boiled plantain peel meal produced the best growth and feed utilization in C. gariepinus fingerlings.