Abstract

ENHANCEMENT OF SPECIFIC GROWTH RATES IN NILE TILAPIA (OREOCHROMIS NILOTICUS), FED DIETS SUPPLEMENTED WITH VOLVARIELLA VOLVACEA (PADDY STRAW MUSHROOM).

Onkar Chandra*, Pooja Sen, Rohini Verma and Neelima Kumari

ABSTRACT

A nourishing test was conducted to investigate the effect of mushroom supplementation as a prebiotic compound in a commercial diet of the growth performance and feed utilization of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). A total of 50 fishes were divided in to two groups of the experiment and each group held in separate black water tanks. Two different diets were offered to the fishes within a 49-day experimental period. Out of the two diets, first diets were without mushroom inclusion commercial control diets (CCD) and second contained mushroom stalk supplementation experimental diets(MSED). During the growth test, the best effect were obtained in fish fed with mushroom stalk experimental diets(MSED), where the specific growth rate (SGR) was 175.54 ± 0.1070. All water quality parameters are maintained normal during the experimental period. The result of this nourishing test clearly indicated that the final live specific growth rate of mushroom stalks experimental fed fishes was considerably higher than those of commercial control feed fishes.

Keywords: Mushroom supplementation, Nile Tilapia, Specific growth rate.