Physiological and Nutritional Studies on Improving Growth of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis Niloticus) Fingerlings Using Alpinia Meal (Alpinia Galanga) as a Feed Additive

A total of 40 fish with average initial body weight 6.48±0.15 g and, were randomly stocked into eight glass aquaria. To illustrate the effect of four different levels (0.00; 0.50; 1.00 and 2.00%) of Alpinia meal as a feed additive on the performance, nutritional and physiological parameters of Nile tilapia fingerlings. Each diet was fed two randomly duplicate aquaria for 12 weeks where each aquarium was stocked with 10 fish. Fish in all treatments were daily fed the experimental diets at a level of 20, 15, 10, 5, 3 and 3% of the (BW) daily for the 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10 and 11-12 week and fish fed 2 times daily in equal proportions. Feeding was performed for six consecutive days with no food being given on the seventh day when the fish were weighed.

Results showed that lower final body weight in Nile tilapia fish which fed on control diet compared to the different levels used. Results showed that fish fed on diet (2), containing 0.05% Alpinia meal a good increase in body weight and growth rates compared to other treatments, respectively. The rate of feed conversion, the utilization rate, productivity of the protein and efficient use of energy were the same, the fish fed on a diet (2) was the lowest one, the levels tend to a dropping with increased levels of Alpinia meal and the differences between treatments were significant. Also, data indicated that, there were no significant differences (P< 0.05) between all treatments in dry matter content, crude protein, ether extract, ash and energy content. For physiological parameters showed that no significant differences (P <0.05) in plasma total protein, plasma albumin and plasma total globulins of fish fed the experimental diets in comparison with the control diet.