Study on growth performance of freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium lamarrei) reared in two feed sources (Tilapia meat and CP 30%)

Abstract

The study was organized to investigate the impact of two diets to check out the effectiveness of feed on growth performance of freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium lamarrei) at the Saline Water Aquaculture Research Center (SWARC), Muzaffargarh. Two feeding treatments were designed: first treatment group, feed on tilapia meat, initial body weight was 3.73±0.06g and after 60 days final body weight was 5.48±0.14g while second treatment group was commercial diet CP 30% at Laboratory conditions. Initial body weight was 3.61±0.06g and after the end of experiment final body weight was 5.20±0.14g. The water quality parameters were maintained throughout the experiment: temperature 25.5°C, dissolved oxygen 5.93 mg/l, pH 7.4, TDS 3.4 g/l and EC 3.64 µs/cm. The growth performance was compared in both treatments, results of tilapia meat indicate high growth performance as compared to commercial diet CP 30%. In this study concluded that locally available freshwater prawn M. lamarrei is a small size species, gain low body weight and rearing in aquaculture is beneficial if used as live feeds.