REPLACEMENT OF FISH MEAL BY CORN GLUTEN MEAL IN FISH FEED: IMPACTS ON GROWTH AND BODY COMPOSITION OF Labeo rohita AND OVERALL PRODUCTION OF FISH POND

In developing countries like Pakistan, the main constraint in aquaculture progress is the cost of production mainly; the feed. The present project will be helpful in formulation of cost effective fish feed by replacing costly fish meal with comparatively cheaper plant origin, corn gluten meal without any negative impacts on fish growth. The present study was conducted for the period of 270-days to replace costly fish meal ingredient of fish feed with Corn Gluten Meal (CGM) @ 25% (CGM1), 50% (CGM2) and 75% (CGM3) for development of low cost fish feed for L. rohita being raised in earthen pond aquaculture. The overall average gain in weight observed for L. rohita in Standard/Control (SC), CGM1, CGM2 and CGM3 were 832 g, 778 g, 752 g and 641 g at the termination of experimental period. Net fish production per hectare during the experimental period of on final harvest was 1933 kg, 1808 kg, 1747 kg and 1489 kg from the SC, CGM1, CGM2 and CGM3, respectively. The month wise data collected for growth parameters viz., gain in weight, total length and fork length of fish were subjected to statistical analysis for comparison of means through ANOVA by using General Linear Model in SAS computer software showed no significant differences among the observations. During the cost benefit analysis it was concluded that replacement of fish meal from the L. rohita feed with corn gluten upto 50% will lower down the feed cost and there was no major differences in overall production from the fish ponds fed with control feed having fish meal and corn gluten replaced fed pond.