EFFECT OF DIETARY PROTEIN ON SPAWNING PERFORMANCE OF SINGIDIA TILAPIA Oreochromis esculentus (GRAHAM 1929) BROODFISH-KENYA
Singidia tilapia (Oreochromis esculentus) endemic to Lake Victoria and once the most important commercial fish species in the Lake is now enlisted in the World Conservation Union Redbook (IUCN) of endangered species as critically endangered. To rescue this highly valued fish from total extinction, urgent conservational measures including captive propagation and reintroduction are required. This study was set out to investigate O. esculentus feed requirements for artificial breeding. Three feeds containing 20% CP, 25% CP and 30% CP were tested on 12 broodfish groups stocked in 12 nylon hapas (2x2x1 m3) installed in earthen ponds. Females fed with 30% CP and 25% CP produced 40.1% and 36.3% more seed (eggs and york sac fry) respectively than females fed with 20% Crude protein ( Table 1and 2). This study showed that the use of 25% crude protein diet is nutritionally adequate in O. esculentus seed production and that high protein diets were not beneficial in terms of seed output in Singidia tilapia. The study recommends the use of 25% crude protein level feed when producing seeds in O. esculentus.
