THE STUDY OF IMPACT OF PARTIAL REPLESHMENT OF FISHMEAL WITH PLANT BASED DIET ON THE DIGESTIVE PHYSIOLOGY OF CARP Labeo rohita

JaiGopal Sharma*, Ravi Kumar Goswami, Rina Chakrabarti
 
*Department of Biotechnology, Delhi Technological University, Bawana Road, Delhi 110042, India, e-mail: sharmajaigopal@yahoo.com

Nutrition plays central role in aquaculture. In intensive aquaculture, more than 60% of production cost is due to feed as fishmeal is used as ingredient. The whole aquaculture industry is looking towards the alternative source of fish meal. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of plant ingredients on the digestive physiology of rohu Labeo rohita.

Indian major carp Labeo rohita, rohu (10.66±0.53 g) were randomly distributed in glass aquaria (10 fish/ 50 l aquarium) inside the wet laboratory facility. Four plant-based diets were formulated using almond oil-cake, Terminalia catappa, duck weed, Lemna minor, water fern Salvania molesta and combination of almond oil-cake, duck weed and water fern (1:1:1). In these diets, 50% fish meal was replaced. The diet containing fish meal served as control. Fish were cultured under five different feeding regimes for 90 days. Diet was given at the rate of 3% of body weight. The total amount was divided in two parts and delivered at 9.00 a.m. and 5.00 p.m. Crude protein, fat and moisture contents were analyzed following the standard methods. All fish were harvested after 90 days, survival rate and growth of individual fish was recorded.

There was no significant (P > 0.05) difference in the survival rate rohu cultured under five different feeding regimes. Significantly (P < 0.05) higher average weight was found in fish fed with Lemna minor supplemented diet. Amylase activity was significantly (P<0.05) higher in fish fed with plant-based diets compared to the control one. Trypsin and chymotrypsin activities were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in fish fed with fish Lemna minor supplemented diet compared to other diets fed rohu. Lipase activity was significantly (P > 0.05) higher in rohu fed with almond oil cake supplemented diet. The impact of diets was also recorded in the water quality parameters of the culture systems.This study shows that there is scope for replacement of fish meal in the diets of herbivore fish. This will help in the production of cost-effective diets of fish in a sustainable way.