With the ever increasing demand and price of fishmeal as an ingredient in aquaculture diet, alternate protein sources for complete or partial replacement of fishmeal using insects could be a viable option. Insects represent a noteworthy feed source rich in high quality protein as well as other beneficial nutrients. Different insects have been tested as animal protein source in food or as feed ingredient for aquaculture like the Black Soldier Fly (BSF). The BSF larvae can be reared easily on wide range of substratum like chicken/pig/cattle manure, kitchen waste, fruit and vegetable waste etc. Interestingly the composition of the substratum will change the body composition of fly pre-pupae. BSF prepupae grown on vegetable waste is composed of 32.53% protein and 22.1% crude lipid.
A 60 days feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of Black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens in the growth performance of Pangas (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus). The experiment consisted of four treatments with three replicates each. T1 (BSF prepupae incorporated diet), T2 (Dried and crushed BSF prepupae), T3 (Fish meal diet) and T4 (Soyabean meal diet) were the different treatments based on the feed provided. Fishes of average weight (1.94±0.14g) and length (6.12±0.44cm) were stocked at the rate of 150no./m3 based on completely randomized design. Fishes were fed at the rate of 10% of body weight per day. Water exchange was carried out once in two weeks to ensure the water quality parameters to be in optimum range for fish growth.
Fishes fed with crushed and dried prepupae and BSF incorporated diet showed significantly higher (P≤0.05) weight gain compared to other treatments. Percentage weight gain recorded significantly highest value (P≤0.05) in fishes fed with crushed and dried prepupae and BSF incorporated diet compared with other treatments. Specific growth rate also showed similar pattern as that of Percentage weight gain, with highest values (P≤0.05) in fishes fed crushed and dried prepupae and BSF incorporated diet. Lowest FCR (P≤0.05) was recorded for fishes fed with crushed and dried prepupae and BSF incorporated diet. The present study indicates that BSF could be a suitable protein source for fish feed formulation in aquaculture practices.