Author(s): K. Altaff* V. Sumithra, A.Janakiraman and A. Hyder Ali
The efficacy of fingerlings of black molly, Poecilia sphenops to four types of formulated feeds containing different proportions of animal protein (fish meal, prawn meal and plankton meal) was evaluated in comparison with a commercially available pellet feed. Diet I was prepared in combination with fish meal and prawn meal, Diet II was prepared in combination with fish meal and plankton meal. Diet III and diet IV were prepared only with fish meal and plankton meal respectively. In 35 days feeding experiment, length gain (cm) of P. sphenops with Diet I, Diet II, Diet III , Diet IV and commercial diet was 0.47, 0.58, 0.74, 0.4 and 0.75cm, respectively while weight gain (g) was 0.12, 0.24, 0.25, 0.18 and 0.35 g, respectively. Specific growth rate of experimental diets ranged between 0.34 and 1.0 while that of commercial diet was 0.51. Higher mortality was recorded in commercial pellet feed (66.67%) compared to experimental diets (0 to 46.67%). Growth and development of P. sphenops suggest all the diets supported normal growth, nevertheless variation in the growth performance with different diets might be due to the difference in the composition of the macro-nutrient of these diets. In view of higher cost and mortality rate of commercial pellet feed, experimental diets could be used in commercial production of molly fish.