Effect of different types and levels of binding agents on stability and nutritional availability of formulated diets of Oreochromis shiranus (Pisces: Cichlidae)

Binding agents are -important ingredients in fish diets which provide stability to the pellet and reduces leaching of nutrients into the water. However, major weakness of most binding agents are instability, they are affected by heat, oxidation, light and moisture, among others. Therefore, a study was conducted to assess the effect of different types and levels of binding agents on stability and nutritional availability of formulated diets on performance of Oreochromis shiranus fingerlings. The experiment was conducted in a CRD design and used eight different diets with different binder combinations and each treatment (diet) was replicated three times. Main ingredients in the diets included soybean, fish (usipa), maize meal and wheat bran. Main binders in the diets included wheat (Triticum aestivum), cassava (Manihot esculenta), arabic gum (Acacia senegal) and okra (Abelmoschus ficulneus). The experiment was carried out for 12 weeks (From 11 March to 3 June 2019). Both male and female fingerlings of O. shiranus with an initial average body weight of 6±1 g were collected from Bunda fish farm. Fifteen (15) fingerlings were stoked in each aquarium, each treatment had 45 fingerlings. Each type of diet was used twice per day (9am and 2pm) into three aquariums (triplicate) at 5% body weight of the fingerlings used. Every two weeks, eight fingerlings from each aquarium were sampled. The weight of each sampled fish was measured using electronic balance and total length was measured using a measuring board. Preliminary plot of growth performance shows that fingerlings given diet 1 which had 5% wheat flour binder, diet 3 with 5% cassava flour binder, diet 5 with 5% Arabic gum binder and diet 7 with 5% okra binder produced better growth performance in terms of weight and length compared to the four other diets. Reasons for the differences are being explored.