Dietary Inclusion of Superworm (Zophobas morio) Larvae for Asian Stinging Catfish (Heteropneustes fossilis) Culture: Impacts on Growth Performance

Abstract

The present study aimed to find out the potential of superworm larvae as an alternate protein source in aquafeed for fishes. The feeding trial lasted for 45 days in glass aquariums, with four treatments (Control, T₁ T₂ and T₃) for stinging catfish (Heteropneustes fossilis). In control, fishes were fed without superworm larvae (SWM) while in different treatments (T₁, T₂, and T₃) fishes were fed with feed pellet containing 10%, 20%, and 30% processed superworm larvae respectively. The study showed that the growth of H. fossilis significantly improved with superworm larvae-based diet and maximum mean length 7.47±0.198 and weight 2.94±0.085 was observed in T₂ where fishmeal was replaced by superworm larvae (20%). The minimum length and weight gain by the fishes was in control (7.185 ±0.032 cm) and (1.77 ±0.049 g) respectively. Specific growth rate and protein efficiency ratio was maximum 1.95± 0.120 and 0.07±0.0 in T₂ respectively, whereas it was minimum 1.29 ± 0.028 and 0.04±0.0 for control respectively. The average daily weight gain of fishes from all treatments were found to be significantly different from control, and specific growth rate was significantly different (0.000) of all the treatments from control. The statistical calculation exhibited that the protein efficiency ratio in the experimental groups was not significantly different (0.299) from each other. It is suggested that the 20% superworm larvae contained sufficient amount of the protein which help for better growth.