EFFECTS OF DIETARY ALPHA-CELLULOSE LEVELS ON THE JUVENILE TILAPIA, OREOCHROMIS-MOSSAMBICUS (PETERS)

Five artificial diets with dietary α-cellulose levels of 0%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5% and 10% were prepared and their effects on growth, survival, food conversion rate, protein efficiency ratio, body condition factor and hepatosomatic index were evaluated for juvenile (2.55 g) O. mossambicus. The best growth rate, survival, FCR and PER were obtained with 2.5-5% supplemental fibre. Tilapia fed with the 10% cellulose-supplemented diet demonstrated depressed growth just as did fish fed the cellulose-free diet. © 1990.