Abstract

Five isoenergetic semi-purified diets were formulated to evaluate the effects of dietary crude protein levels on growth and feed utilization of snakehead, Parachanna obscura (4.08 ± 0.07 g). Experimental diets were formulated to contain graded levels of crude protein (CP; 30, 40, 45, 50 and 60 g/100 g of diet). Fish feed on the tested diet in triplicate for 45 days. Seventy fingerlings were stocked per a 225 L cement tank. Growth performances and nutrient utilization parameters of fingerlings fed different diets varied significantly (P < 0.05) and the highest growth performance and nutrient utilization were obtained with fish fed on a 50% CP diet. The relationship between the dietary CP and specific growth rate (SGR) indicated that protein requirements of P. obscura fingerlings ranged from 42.5 to 53.5% of diet.

Key words: Parachanna obscura fingerlings, protein requirements, growth performances, nutrient utilization.