Evaluation and Nutrient Quality of Toasted Flamboyant Seed (Delonix regia) Meal in the Diet of Clarias gariepinus Fingerlings

56 days feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of toasted Delonix regia seed meal (TDRSM) in the diet of Clarias gariepinus fingerlings with respect to their growth performance, feed efficiency, nutrient utilization, and body composition. Four iso-nitrogenous and iso-lipidic experimental diets were formulated to contain 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30% of toasted Delonix regia meal and were designated as D1 (0% inclusion), D2 (10% inclusion), D3 (20% inclusion), and D4 (30% inclusion) in a completely randomized design. Fifteen net hapa (0.5x0.5x1 m) were suspended in two outdoor concrete ponds with the aid of kuralon twine tied to plastic poles, the concrete ponds were filled to 5/6 of its volume (40 m3) with filtered and dechlorinated tap water. Each treatment had three replicates with 20 fish were accommodated in each hapa (mean initial body weight (1.02±0.01 g) per fish. Water temperature and other water quality parameters were monitored daily. The result of the study showed that there was no significant differences (P>0.05) in the survival rate, However D3 gave the best value in all the growth parameters values measured and was significantly different from others while D4 gave the lowest value but was not significantly different from D1. Except for D3 which was significantly higher in all the nutrient utilization values measured however was no significant difference between D1, D2 and D4. Proximate composition results revealed that increase in inclusion of TDRM led to an increase in the carcass lipid content and a decrease in moisture contents of the fish fed experimental diet. This result indicated, that inclusion of toasted Delonix regia meal at 20% in the diet of Clarias gariepinus fingerlings improves the nutritive value for fish, hence can serve as alternative ingredients in the fish feed production.