Dried acetes as growth promoter for guppy (Poecilia reticulata) nutrition

Abstract

Abstract Acetes is a marine shrimp that is still an under-studied source as feed ingredient for tropical ornamental fish. Ornamental fish is regarded as pet fish due to its mystic attractiveness for pet fish enthusiasts and requires good protein source to attain good growth and skin colour enhancement. The prevailing feed industry due to continuos pandemic has resulted many enthusiasts to look for alternative growth promoter as feed for guppy. The aims of this study were to determine the nutritional composition in dried Acetes and to investigate the effects of dietary dried Acetes meal on growth performance of Guppy (Poecilia reticulate). Five dietary isocaloric feeds namely Tcontrol (commercial feed only), T0 (100% commercial feed and 0% of dried Acetes.), T1 (75% commercial diet and 25% of dried Acetes spp.), T2 (50% commercial diet and 50% of dried Acetes), T3 (25% commercial diet and 75% of dried Acetes) and T4 (0% commercial diet and 100% of dried Acetes) were formulated as feed for juveniles of Guppy (Poecilia reticulata) reared in triplicates for 30 days. Growth indices like Body Weight Gain, Feed Conversion Rate, Feed Intake and Survival Rate were observed in every 10 days. Results indicated that T4 with 100% dried Acetes attained a significantly high BWG of 222.6% with low feed intake and FCR of less than 3.5. It can be concluded that inclusion of 50 to 100% dried Acetes in feed has contributed to optimal growth performance of guppy. It is also recommended that further studies on dietary Acetes could be done to examine other properties that could be further developed as superfeed for ornamental fish and thereby enhance growth and productivity of the ornamental fish industry as well as economic efficiency.