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Abstract
A 3 × 3 factorial experiment was designed to determine the effects of protein levels and feeding rate on growth and body composition of hybrid clariid catfish, Clarias gariepinusX Heterobranchus bidorsalis, over 12 weeks experimental period. Hybrid catfish (initial mean weight 12.53±0.35 g) were stocked in three feeding rates (3%, 5%, or 7% body weight/day (bw/day) and three crude protein levels (30%, 35%, or 40%). Each treatment was assigned randomly to three tanks. Final weight was higher for fish fed at 40% than those fed at 30% and 35% CP. There was no significant difference (P >0.05) in fish fed at 3%, 5%, and 7% bw/day. Also, there was no significant interaction between feeding rate and dietary protein level for weight gain, specific growth rate or feed conversion ratio. Weight gain and feed efficiency under feeding rates increased linearly as protein level increased. Dietary protein levels and feeding rate had significant effect on fish survival. Protein levels had a positive linear effect on fish body protein in all the feeding rates. Based on the above results, 40% CP level and 5% bw/day feeding rate are suggested to be optimal for achieving optimum growth rate and body composition.