Journal of Fisheries and Life Sciences

Author(s): F. A. Anani, E. Agbeko and B. K. Akpakli

Abstract: An increasing number of small-scale pond fish farmers in Ghana produce and use farm-made fish diets due to the farmers’ inability to afford the costs of commercial diets. Whilst some farmers alternate the use of the former with the latter, others mix the two types in equal proportions to feed cultured fish. This study was carried out to evaluate a farm-made tilapia diet, a commonly used commercial tilapia diet (Raanan) in Ghana and an equal mixture of the two diet types for Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). The study was conducted in net hapas installed in a 0.2 hectare earthen pond over a 140-day growth period at the Aquaculture Research and Development Centre (ARDEC), Akosombo, Ghana. The fish, initial mean weight 22.8 ± 2.1 g were stocked at 2 fish m^-2 and fed at 4 to 3% body weight three times a day including weekends. After the culture period, the final mean weights of O. niloticus were 131.0 ± 24.4, 187.6 ± 42.1 and 140.7 ± 28.5 g for Farm-made, Raanan and Mixed diet respectively. The best incidence cost and the highest profit index were obtained with the Farm-made diet. The results indicated that small-scale pond fish farmers in the country would cut down on their production cost and make more profit if they produced and used nutritionally balanced farm-made tilapia diets alone than using either the commercial one or mixing equal portions of the two diet types to feed cultured fish.