Possible benefits of using two dietary crude protein levels and two fat levels from three sources in feeding Tilapia

Abstract

This study was conducted during the summer season (June-October) 2018 in fish farm at Al-Manzala city for 150 days. A total number of 750 mono-sex Nile tilapia with an average initial body weight of 52.6 ± 0.40 g were used in five experimental treatments (150 fish/hapa/treatment, 10 fish/m 3 ) to evaluate two dietary crude protein levels (25 and 30%) and two crude fat levels (2 and 6%) from three fat sources (corn oil, imported fish oil, and a new local commercial source of fatty acids named Aquafat-omiga). Fish were stocked into net hapas, each hapa has the dimensions 3 x 5 x 1 m. Conclusively, from the obtained results and due to the view point of the producers, 2 % fish oil supplemented diet (25 % protein) is the most economic diet (lowest feed intake, best feed conversion and feed efficiency) followed by that (25 % protein) supplemented with 2 % Aquafat-omiga. But from the view point of the consumers, 30 % crude protein diet plus 6 % addition corn oil gave best body gain and fish carcass protein, boneless meat and lean meat besides lowest fat and ash in fish body and lowest serum cholesterol, uric acid, and cortisol. So, it could recommend using the first diet containing 30 % crude protein and supplemented with extra 6 % corn oil. Particularly, fish oil is rear, unavailable, imported, and expensive.