Growth performance of Clarias gariepinus fed varying dietary phosphorus levels

One hundred and twenty (120) juveniles of African catfish Clarias gariepinus were obtained in May 2015 from a reputable Fish Farm in Enugu to the University Research Farm (latitude 074o North and 082o South, longitude 068o East and 076o West with annual mean temperature of 30oC). The fish were fed for 49 days from June – July 2015 with diets containing 4 different inclusion levels of phosphorus T1 [0.6% P], T2 [0.8% P], T3 [1.00% P], T4 [1.2% P] and T5 [0% P] which served as control diet, to determine optimum P requirement for fish growth at probability level of P < 0.05 between various treatments and control. Each diet was formulated to contain 40% crude protein composed of yellow maize, soybean cake, palm kernel cake and fish meal. Fish fed with graded levels of phosphorus were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than control in FW and MDWG. There was however no significant difference (P > 0.05) in FCR and PER between T1, T2, T4 and control but T3 was significantly (P < 0.05) better in FCR (0.33) than control (0.39). Similarly, T3 was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in PER than control. Fish in T3 had the best growth performance indicative that 1% P is the optimum requirement for the growth of C. gariepinus. Res. Agric. Livest. Fish.4(3): 215-220, December 2017