Comparative Study of the Growth Performance of Two Commercial Fish Feed in the Production of African Catfish (clarias Gariepinus)

ABSTRACT
This study evaluated the growth performance of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) fed with two different commercial fish feeds, Skretting and Aller Aqua in the production of African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus Proximate composition analysis revealed significant differences between the two feeds, particularly in lipid and carbohydrate content. Skretting exhibited higher carbohydrate content (44.1%) and lipid content (12.6%) compared to Aller Aqua with 36.5% carbohydrate and 10.5% lipid. Conversely, Aller Aqua had higher moisture (12.55%) and ash (10.20%) content compared to Skretting (8.65% and 8.90%, respectively), along with higher fiber content (29.78% compared to 25.8%). Despite these differences, both feeds had similar protein contents (Skretting: 0.48%, Aller Aqua: 0.50%), indicating a shared commitment to meeting essential amino acid needs for fish growth and development. A comprehensive comparison of growth performance revealed significant differences (P < 0.05) between fish fed with Skretting and Aller Aqua. Fish fed with Skretting exhibited superior growth performance, including higher final weights (25.73 g compared to 11.4 g), weight gain (17.53 ± 1.0 g compared to 4.68 ± 0.01 g), average daily weight gain (0.42 ± 0.03 g compared to 0.11 ± 0.01 g), length gain (7.57 ± 1.00 cm compared to 5.14 ± 0.01 cm), average daily length gain (0.18 ± 0.03 cm compared to 0.12 ± 0.01 cm), and specific growth rate (42 ± 1.00 compared to 11 ± 0.1). Fish fed with Skretting exhibited superior growth performance, including higher final weights, weight gain, length gain, and average daily gains, compared to those fed with Aller Aqua. These findings indicate the importance of formulating feeds with appropriate nutrient profiles to the specific requirements of target fish species to achieve optimal growth rates and body weights, as highlighted by previous research.