Nutritional Impact of Housefly Maggot Meal on Growth of African Catfish (Clarias Gariepinus)

In an attempt to successfully replace fish meal with Maggot meal in the diet of Clarias gariepinus for optimal growth and nutrient utilization, a 49 days (7 weeks) laboratory feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the growth of Clarias gariepinus fingerlings with the average initial weight of 5.36 ± 0.96 g and average initial length of 4.20 ± 0.05 cm, using housefly larva (Musca domestica) Maggot meal from cow dung as the protein source in place of fish meal in their diet. A total of 60 fingerlings were used. They were stocked 10 fingerlings in a 70 litre bowl. Each treatment was replicated twice. Treatment 1 (0% maggot inclusion), Treatment 2 (50% maggot inclusion) and Treatment 3 (53% maggot inclusion). At the end of the 49 days (7 weeks), the fingerlings fed with 53% maggot inclusion recorded the highest mean weight (7.93g) and mean length (12.01cm). The data obtained were subjected to one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) while Fisher’s least significant difference test (P ≤ 0.05) was used to compare treatment means. Treatment 1 fish meal inclusion has the highest specific growth rate (12.9) but not significantly different and 53% maggot inclusion has the highest PER (1.63) but the least value was recorded in fish meal diet. The highest value for FCR was recorded in 53% maggot inclusion (0.83) while treatment 1 has the highest SGR and treatment 2 containing 50% maggot meal inclusion has the least survival rate while treatment 1 and 3 has the highest survival rate. There was no significant different (P > 0.05) in all the parameters. Conclusively maggot meal can be used successfully in place of fish meal in the diet of Clarias gariepinus.