Development of a suitable diet for culture of pabda (ompok pabda) in cage using locally available feed ingredients

Abstract

Abstract : A study was conducted on the development of a suitable diet using locally available feed ingredients for cage culture of pabda (Ompok pabda) in pond. Feed ingredients used were fish meal, meat and bone meal, mustard oil cake, sesame oil cake, rice bran, molasses and vitamin-mineral premix. Three experimental diets were formulated with different combination of the ingredients. A commercial shrimp starter feed was used as the control. After a 90 days cage culture trial, chemical composition of the whole body fish carcasses was not related to dietary treatments. However, considering the growth and feed utilization performances, it was found that a diet containing 35% protein and formulated with 30% fish meal, 20% meat and bone meal, 10% mustard oil cake, 15% sesame oil cake, 20% rice bran, 4% molasses and 1% vitamin-mineral premix. showed the best results and may be recommended as a feed for cage culture of pabda in pond.