Author(s)

Divine Ewane^1*, Akeson Akeh Andoh², Fidelis Narika Ambeno², Bertha Anyizi Nkemnyi³, Mbeng Ashu Arrey², Benedicta Oshuware Oben², Pius Mbu Oben²

¹Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon.
²Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management, Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon.
³Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon.

Fishmeal is the most preferred source of protein in aquafeeds, but it is expensive and scarce. Hence, Achatina fulica meat meal (AFM), which is much less preferred for human consumption out of three species of African giant land snails, was tested as a fishmeal substitute for Clarias gariepinus growth. Five iso-nitrogenous and iso-calorific diets were formulated, in which AFM substituted fish meal at 0% (control or Diet A), 25% (Diet B), 50% (Diet C), 75% (Diet D) and 100% (Diet E). These dietary treatments were each replicated thrice in a completely randomized design experiment, using 36-L plastic tanks in which the fish were fed daily rations corresponding to 5% of their body weight, for 8 weeks. Water quality parameters in the tanks were monitored. Proximate analyses were conducted on the fish meal, snail meal and experimental diets before the feeding trials. Cost-benefit analysis of the different diets was performed. The crude protein content of AFM (69.18%) was significantly higher than that of fish meal (55.81%). There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the mean weight gain, specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio, protein efficiency ratio and survival rate in fish fed Diet A and Diet B. The best protein efficiency ratio (0.77) was recorded in fish fed Diet B. Furthermore, the survival rate of fish increased with increased levels of AFM substitution. Water quality parameters were within a suitable range for tropical fish culture, indicating that the AFM did not pollute the water. The fish fed 25% AFM diet significantly (P < 0.05) had the lowest cost per kg of fish produced, the highest cost differential and the highest relative cost advantage, compared to all the other four diets. Therefore, AFM is an alternative protein source to fish meal in Clarias gariepinus diets at a 25% substitution level. The aquaculture industry can thus exploit the availability of this feed resource.

Fish Meal, Achatina fulica Meat Meal, Aquafeeds, Clarias gariepinus

Ewane, D., Andoh, A.A., Ambeno, F.N., Nkemnyi, B.A., Arrey, M.A., Oben, B.O. and Oben, P.M. (2024) Effect of the Dietary Substitution of Fish Meal with Achatina fulica Meat Meal on the Growth Performance and Production Cost of African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) Fingerlings . Open Journal of Animal Sciences, 14, 123-136. doi: 10.4236/ojas.2024.142009.