Abstract
This investigation was carried out to study the effect of different live feed and dry feed on growth and
survival of Labeo rohita at a stocking density of 20 larvae per trough having 10 L of water. The increase
in weights and lengths were used as measures of growth. The duration of the experiment was 30 days.
Seven dietary treatments were tested viz. Artificial diet with 45% protein (LFr1), rotifers like Asplanchna
and Brachionus (LFr2), wild zooplankton (LFr3), bioenriched zooplankton (raised on Chlorella, cod liver
oil and vitamin C) (LFr4), Artemia (LFr5), Chironomous (LFr6) and Oligochaetes (LFr7). Among the
different treatments, larvae fed with diet LFr4 resulted in the maximum body weight gain (BWG) (13.18 ±
0.13 mg) which was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than all the treatments which followed the order of
preference as: LFr5 (12.31 ± 0.10 mg), LFr3 (9.75 ± 0.08 mg), LFr2 (7.85 ± 0.10 mg), LFr7 (6.49 ± 0.15 mg), LFr6 (5.66 ± 0.13 mg) and LFr1 (4.99 ± 0.14 mg). The diet LFr4 recorded maximum survivability (92.0 ± 2.0%). All the values recorded for the BWG and survival were found to be significantly different (P < 0.05) among others. Protein and lipid content of the prawn after the treatment was found to be highest
for LFr5 and LFr4, respectively.
Key words: Labeo rohita, food organisms, growth, body composition.
