The effect of different feeding rates and restriction on the growth performance of Clarias gariepinus

This study seeks to investigate the effect of restricted feeding regimes at different rate on growth performance of Clarias gariepinus using static and flow through system. Fingerlings were divided into six batches for each systems with the first and second batch fed at 5% body weight (BW) every day and every other day respectively, the third and fourth batch were fed 10% BW every day and every other day respectively while the fifth and sixth batch were fed 15% BW every day and every other day respectively. Result obtained shows that fish fed every other day exhibited compensatory growth at 5% BW in the static system while in the flow through system fish grow better at all feeding rates when fed every other day. Increasing feeding rate however beyond 10% BW did not improve growth when fed every day or every other day in the static system due to poor water quality. This therefore implies that catfish farming can make more profit feeding African catfish at 5% body weight every other day in the static system and up to 15% body weight (every other day) in flow through system, hence taking advantage of the compensatory growth response phenomenon.