EFFECT OF RAW MOMORDICA CHARANTIA (BITTER MELON) SEED MEAL ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND HAEMATOLOGICAL PROFILE OF COPTODON GUINEENSIS FINGERLINGS

This study investigates the use of raw Momordica charantia (bitter melon) seed meal (RMCSM) in practical diets for Coptodon guineensis fingerlings. Fish (initial mean weight 1.47±0.3 g) were fed five isonitrogenous (35%) and isolipidic (10.5%) diets containing varying inclusion levels of RMCMS and designated as D1 (0%), D2 (10%), D3 (20%), D4 (30%) and D5 (40%) for 84 days. 15 fish per hapa were stocked in fifteen net hapa (0.5×0.5×1 m) suspended in outdoor concrete ponds (8 m×5 m×1.5 m) with the aid of kuralon twine tied to plastic poles. The concrete ponds were filled to 5/6 of its volume (40m3) with filtered and dechlorinated tap water. The fish were fed at 5% body weight two times daily. Each treatment was randomly allocated to three hapa. The result of the growth performance showed that fish fed D4 had the highest final weight (FWM), percentage weight gain (WG), feed conversion ratio (FCR) while lowest was observed in D2. Survival rate values for D4 recorded (100%) while the lowest is observed D3 (80%). The nutrient utilization exhibit that no significant different among the treatment mean (P<0.05) for protein efficiency ratio and protein retention and apparent net protein utilization. There was significant difference in all the haematological indices measured among all the fish fed the experimental diets. However, there was improvement from the initial value recorded at the beginning of the experiment. Water quality parameters (mean DO and pH) measured were within the recommended range for experimental fish survival. This study showed that RMCMS meal would be a potential suitable ingredient for Coptodon guineensis and can be included in a diet up to 30% without any adverse effect.