Evaluation Of Two Different Feed Types On Growth Performance And Survival Rate Of African Catfish (Clarias Garjepinus) Fry

ABSTRACT

The importance of aquacuiture has generally been considered in recent years. Fish consumption is growing at the rate of 2.4% per annum while the human population is increasing at the rate of 2% per annum (FAQ, 2006). Thus the growth of population is out spacing that of fish as food, creating increasing market demand. This has led to over exploitation of capture fisheries to solve the market demand of fish and fishery prodLicts. African catfish (mud fish). because of its tolerance to overcrowding produces a critical standing crop oF about 2 I metric tonnes under commercial farming (FAQ. 2006). A frican catfish belongs to the kingdom anirnalia, phylum chordata. subphylum veterhrata. superclass gnathostomata, grade pisces, subgrade teleostomi. class osteichthyes. order siluriformes. family clariidae. genus ciariu.v and specie garwpinu.v (Gupta and Gupta 2006) An omnivorous scavenger that eats everything it finds, the African catfish (C. gariepin!i.v. is particularly amenable to farming practices of small holders, who comprise the majority of farmers in developing countries. However the persistent lack and/or high price of even small catfish fingerlings in such countries is a major constraint to aquaculture development (Dc Graal' and Janssen. 1996).