Effects of sesame seed meal and bambaranut meal on growth, feed utilization and body composition of juvenile African catfish Clarias gariepinus

Plant proteins are plausible fishmeal substitutes but are deficient in some essential amino acids (EAA) like lysine and methionine. Combination of different plant proteins with complimentary EAA could be useful alternative. Bambaranut (Voandzeia subterranea) contains high amount of lysine while methionine is in sesame seed (Sesamum indicum). This experiment tested effects of combining sesame seed meal (SSM) and bambaranut meal (BNM), on juvenile African catfish Clarias gariepinus. Inclusion levels (%) of SSM: BNM in four novel diets were, feed 1 (F1) 0:35, feed 2 (F2) 11.7:23.3, feed 3 (F3) 23.3:11.7, feed 4 (F4) 35:0. Catfish (initial weight ± SD 11.7 ± 0.56 g) were stocked in four replicate 15L glass aquaria at 20 fish tank-1. Final weight and specific growth rate (SGR) were significantly higher for catfish fed F2, F3 and F4 (SGR treatment means varying between 8.34 - 8.67 % day-1) than for F1 (7.60 ± 0.27 % day-1 and feed conversion ratio (FCR) significantly lower for F2, F3 and F4 (0.71-0.73) than for F1 (0.8 ± 0.04). Catfish fed F1 had higher body water and lower lipid and protein content than fish in the other treatments. Protein efficiency ratio was similarly higher for catfish fed F2, F3, F4 than F2 and F1. The cost kg-1 of diet production increased with inclusion of SSM justifying reduction of SSM in the mixture. Results indicate that SSM and BNM alone or in combination are good plant proteins. Diets of SSM-BNM-FM were similar to SSM-FM. Inclusions of SSM increased body lipid than BNM.