Development of cost effective nutritionally balanced food for freshwater ornamental fish Black Molly (Poecilia latipinna)

Abstract

Fishery is one of the oldest professions of man and even today, it helps in food security and poverty alleviation, in many parts of the world. Fish culturing is major part of aquaculture. When natural fishery does not suffice the need of the society, world has gone for aquaculture to increase the productivity. On the same lines, in ornamental fishery too, man's interference in deciding the breed, formulating the feed, bringing changes in living conditions of the fishes, etc., is very much in vogue. To improve the health of the fishes, and their productivity of ornamental fisheries, nutrition plays a major role. In this direction, several attempts have been made by various workers, to alter the food and other environmental conditions. However, as there are hardly any attempt to develop low cost balanced food for ornamental fishes, present paper deals with formulating low cost nutritionally balanced food for Black Molly (Poecilia latipinna), a popular freshwater ornamental fishes has been attempted, by using locally available 'waste material' like Groundnut oil cake, Fish meal, Wheat bran, Snail, Marine Fish waste, Freshwater Fish waste, Chicken waste, Earthworms, Squids, Mussel, Chicken liver, Prawn meal, etc., The results obtained on growth and nutrition utilization indicated by weight gain and specific growth rate of Black Molly was highest, in fish fed with diet containing Snail meal, Prawn meal, Mussel meal and Chicken liver. The studies indicate that, these ornamental fishes can be reared well with animal based products, replacing agro based products, which can replace high cost commercial Fish meal.