Impact of plant protein and oil sources on hydrochemical and growth indicators of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) reared in aquarium
Mustafa Ali, Stefka Stoyanova, Ivaylo Sirakov
Abstract: The African catfish is a promising species in Bulgaria. It stands out due to its high growth rate, tolerance to varying water quality, and relatively high market price. The future of the Aquaculture sector depends on the lower use of fish meal and oil in the feed of hydrobionts. For years, plant sources have been increasingly used as alternatives to fish meal and oil, which contain protein and lipids. The present study aims to investigate the effect of replacing fish meal and oil with alternative sources, specifically seaweed and Ω-3 FORPLUSTM, on the hydrochemical and growth indicators in cultivating African catfish (Clarias gariepinus). The trial continued for 60 days, and the following indicators were measured daily to determine the effect of feeding with alternative protein and oil sources: temperature (°C), dissolved oxygen mg/L) L-1 active reaction (pH), and electric conductivity ( μS.cm-1). Control catches were performed at the beginning and end of the experiment. Based on these observations, the survival rate, weight gain, and final live weight were recorded, and the dietary coefficient was determined at the end of the trial. The hydrochemical indicators varied within the allowed ranges for African catfish. The survival rate was highest in fish fed the NEO feed. The weight gain of NEO feed-fed fish was highest, and so was the final live weight. The specific growth rate (SGR%) was highest in NEO feed-fed fish, and the dietary coefficient was lowest in the same group of fish.
Keywords: African catfish (Clarias gariepinus); aquaponic system; growth performance; hydrochemical indicators
Citation: Ali, M., Stoyanova, S. & Sirakov, I. (2025). Impact of plant protein and oil sources on hydrochemical and growth indicators of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) reared in aquarium. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 31(5), 1053–1060
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| Date published: 2025-10-28
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