Nutritional characteristics and costs of diets based on fish, spirulina, maggot and earthworm meals at the larval phase of rearing tilapia Oreochromis niloticus

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess the nutritional characteristics and costs of diets formulated with fish, Spirulina, maggot and earthworm meals to feed tilapia Oreochromis niloticus at larval stage. The protein contents of these ingredients are 56.00±0.21 (fish), 40.34±0.13 (maggot), 40.7±0.22 (Spirulina) and 41.17±0.16% (earthworm). These different ingredients made it possible to formulate four types of diets. Diets based on maggot (MD), Spirulina (SD), earthworm (ED) and fish (FD) meals. The protein contents in each diet formulated are 40%. The costs per kilogram of formulated diets were evaluated. The highest value is obtained for SD (204116 FCFA) and the lowest for MD (296 FCFA). Biochemical composition, mineral composition, Fatty acid profile and Concentration of aflatoxins of experimental diets are evaluated. In conclusion, the total replacement of fish meal by those of Spirulina, maggot and earthworm did not negatively affect the nutritional quality of diet. The values reported are within the recommended limits for rearing this specie. In addition, the use of maggot and earthworm meal helped to reduce the cost per kilogram of feed produced, unlike fish meal. Spirulina meal increased the cost per kilogram of the formulated diet.