The effects of different protein blends (gliricidia/moringa leaf meals and defatted palm weevil larvae) on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fingerlings were investigated during a 10-week feeding trial. Six experimental diets with 30 percent crude protein were formulated as fishmeal/soybean (FMS), palm weevil/soybean (PWS), palm weevil/moringa (PWM), palm weevil/gliricidia(PWG), palm weevil/soybean/moringa(PSM), and palm weevil/soybean/gliricidia (PSG). With 10 fish each, 180 Nile tilapia fingerlings were divided into 18 plastic tanks in triplicates. The findings showed that fish fed diet PSG had final weights and protein efficiency ratios (PER) that were significantly different (P<0.05) from those on other diets. Fish on diet PSG gave the lowest food conversion ratio (FCR) of 1.10±0.02, with those on PWS and PWG recording the least overall performance. Experimental fish’s carcass protein, ash and fat contents differed significantly. This study suggests that Oreochromis niloticus diet could be replaced with blends of defatted palm weevil, soybean and gliricidia leaf meals.
Keywords: Growth performance, Nutrient utilization, Oreochromis niloticus, Defatted palm weevil larvae.
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