Evaluation of dietary manganese (Mn) supplementation on the growth performance of African catfish Clarias Gariepinus

Abstract

Manganese (Mn) is an essential trace mineral involved in enzymatic activity, metabolism, and antioxidant defense in fish. This study evaluated the effects of dietary Mn supplementation on growth performance, feed efficiency, protein utilization, and survival of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus). Experimental diets were formulated with graded levels of Mn (0, 15, 30, and 45 mg/kg feed) and fed to fish for 60 days. Dietary Mn supplementation significantly improved growth performance compared to the control diet (P<0.05). Fish fed 45 mg/kg Mn exhibited the highest final weight (87.14 ± 2.05 g) compared to the control (64.90 ± 3.41 g). Along with a higher specific growth rate (3.58 ± 0.05% per day vs 3.09 ± 0.09% per day) average daily gain (1.28 ± 0.04 g/day vs 0.91 ± 0.06 g/day)/ feed intake was also significantly higher at 45 mg/kg (1071.81 ± 12.84 g) compared to the control (931.62 ± 15.99 g). However, feed conversion ratio and protein efficiency ratio were not significantly affected (P>0.05). Survival rate remained high and did not differ significantly among treatments. In conclusion, dietary Mn supplementation positively influences growth performance, feed efficiency, and protein utilization in African catfish, with 45 mg/kg feed identified as the most effective dose under the conditions of this study. These findings highlight the importance of adequate trace mineral inclusion in catfish feed formulation.

Keyword: catfish, manganese, growth, feed additive