Feeding combination of live and fresh silkworms (Tubifex sp.) for the growth performance and survival rate of larvae of baung (Hemibagrus nemurus)

Abstract

Economically important riverine fish species of baung (Hemibagrus nemurus) have been controllable spawned in a hatchery. The larvae rearing relies on expensive live feed of Artemia sp. Therefore, the experiment aimed to evaluate various feeding combinations of the live and fresh silk worms (Tubifex sp) in the rearing of the larvae of baung. The treatments were various combinations of live and fresh silkworms at 0%:100%, 25%:75%, 50 %:50%, 75%:25%, and 100%:0%. The seven-day-old larvae of baung of 0.0079 ± 0.019 g in weight and 8.96 ± 0.48 mm in length were randomly stocked into 15 plastic tanks of 40x25x17 cm in dimension size at a density of 160 larvae per tank and fed on a diet according to the treatment at 10%. of biomass per day for 21 days of the rearing period. The results showed that feeding silkworms in terms of live and fresh affected significantly the growth performance and survival of the larvae (P<0.05). The feeding combination at 75-100 % live and 25% fresh silk worms resulted in a high growth performance and survival of the baung larvae.