Effect of Different Dietary Protein Levels on Growth and Proximate Composition of the Eggs and Broodstock of Giant Murrel, Channa marulius (Forsskal)

This research was performed to study the effect of different dietary protein levels on the growth and chemical conformation of broodfish and its eggs. There were three treatments (T₁, T₂ and T₃) and a control with three replicates in each group. Control group was exclusively fed on natural food composed of tilapia fry while fish in T₁ was fed on 30%, T₂ on 35% and T₃ on 40% protein diet, respectively. A total of 240 Channa marulius (945 g) were arbitrarily stocked in 12 earthen ponds (90 ft × 70 ft × 4 ft) @ 20 fish per pond. Fish were fed at 5% of their wet body weight two times per day. The net weight gained of broodstock was 103.65 g, 401.25 g, 484.85 g and 565.24 g in control, T₁, T₂, and T₃, respectively. Fish in T₃ yielded the highest weight, which was significantly higher than T₁,T₂ and control. Specific growth rates were not significant among treatments. Egg composition showed slight and statistically non-discernable variations. Same trend was observed when broodstock was subjected to analytical tests. Though there was slight increase in lipid and protein composition but statistically remained non-significant. Our studies suggest that C. marulius did respond to higher protein levels in growth and egg quality though with marginal improvements.