Comparison Study of Maize Bran & Chickenmanure as Fish Feed Supplement

Lack of affordable feeds is one of the major constraints facing small-scale fish farmers. The objective of this study was to evaluate the suitability of different farm waste as supplementary feeds in Oreochromis niloticus. Chicken manure and maize bran were used to feed O.niloticus cultured in circular concrete pond for twenty four weeks. Due to high protein contents of feed, comparison of means showed a significant difference (p<0.05) increased body weight, standard length, specific growth rate, condition factor and percentage weight gain in maize bran than in chicken manure and the control and this was done fortnightly respectively also for physic-chemical parameters. Maize bran had the highest specific growth rate (1.16±0.06g day˗¹) followed by chicken manure and the control which had the least (0.69±0.13g day˗ ¹). The control fed pond had the highest survival rate 90%, maize bran 73%and the least chicken manure had 66%. Additional availability of energy-rich natural food materials and uniform water additions in ponds may have attribute to such trend in growth pattern of the fish among the ponds.

Besiline Dzikiti is a recent undergraduate student from Chinhoyi University of Technology in Zimbabwe who studied in Wildlife and Safari management majoring in aquaculture. She has worked with the Zimbabwe National Parks Authority as an intern ecologist based at a fisheries research centre.