Utilization of cocoa-pod husk in low-cost diets by the clariid catfish, Clarias isheriensis Sydenham

. Clarias isheriensis Sydenham fingerlings (60·42 ± 1·13g) were fed for 180 days with pelleted diets in which maize was progressively replaced with graded levels (0, 15,30,45%) of cocoa‐pod husk meal (CPHM). There was a decline in growth rate with increase in dietary CPHM level, though this was not significantly different (P < 0·05). Differences in feed conversion, nutrient digestibility and carcass characteristics among different dietary treatments were also not significant (P > 0·05). Fish mortality was low (< 2%) in all dietary treatments tested. Lack of significant difference in growth performance and nutrient utilization indicated that CPHM could be incorporated into low‐cost diets for C. isheriensis up to the 30% level. In a second experiment, three feeding regimes of 15% CPHM diet were tested with C. isheriensis fingerlings (60·81 ± 1·87g) over 180 days and results showed no significant (P > 0·05) differences among the feeding regimes tested, with regards to growth, feed conversion and fish yield. This suggests that the growth of C. isheriensis from fingerling to adult size (≥ 200g) can be satisfied in one single feeding equivalent to 3% body weight per day.