IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF ROTIFER AND COPPENS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFRICAN CATFISH (Clarias gariepinus) LARVAE

Abstract: The African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) is the most widely cultivated fish species in Nigeria due to its fast growth rate, high fecundity, disease resistance, and adaptability to artificial feed. However, Nigerian fish farmers face significant challenges, particularly the high cost and limited availability of quality feed, which accounts for approximately 60% of production costs. This study compared the suitability of live rotifers (Brachionus spp.) and Coppens, a commercial fish feed, for feeding C. gariepinus larvae. The experiment was conducted at the Fisheries Hatchery Unit, Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, using a completely randomized design (CRD) with six replicates. Growth performance indicators such as weight gain, length gain, specific growth rate (SGR), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and survival rate were evaluated. The results showed that C. gariepinus fed Coppens exhibited significantly higher growth performance (P<0.05) than those fed live rotifers, with superior weight gain (0.80±0.28 g vs. 0.66±0.26 g), length gain (3.04±0.34 cm vs. 2.76±0.33 cm), and SGR (2.91±0.16% vs. 1.28±0.90%). Conversely, fish fed rotifers showed a higher survival rate (68.70±3.69%) compared to those fed Coppens (53.00±7.00%). The findings indicate that while Coppens is more effective for growth, live rotifers can serve as a supplementary feed. It is recommended that rotifers can be further processed into rotifer meal to enhance their nutritional value and reduce dependence on expensive imported fishmeal.

Keywords: AFRICAN CATFISH, Clarias gariepinus, ROTIFERS, COPPENS, LARVAE.