Graded levels of dietary pink oyster mushroom, Pleurotus djamor meal, affects growth, feed efficiency, lipase activity and fiber content in final whole body of Nile tilapia fingerlings, Oreochromis niloticus

Abstract

Expansion of aquaculture industry is evidently accompanied by an urgent necessity of aquaculture feed production. Traditionally, fish meal (FM) and soybean meal (SBM) have been the primary protein source ingredient in aquaculture diets.  However, over exploitation of these commodities has conducted to their unsustainability. Hence, research of unconventional protein alternatives has emerged. Mushroom meal is one of them. To date, mushroom meals have been investigated when supplemented in low levels in aquaculture diets. Furthermore, effects of diets supplemented with mushroom meals have assessed different parameters such as, haematology, immunity, anti–bacterial & anti–oxidant activities, and heat stress. Present study, is aimed to study the effects of graded levels of dietary pink oyster mushroom (Pleurotus djamor) meal (POMM), in growth, feed efficiency, protein utilization, digestive enzymes activities and whole body proximate composition of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fingerlings. Experimental design included a control diet (POMM0) formulated with soybean meal, as main protein source, and four diets designed with increasing levels of POMM: 25%(POMM25); 50%(POMM50); 75%(POMM75); and 100%(POMM100). Experimental diets and final whole body were submitted to a proximate composition analysis. Growth, feed efficiency, protein utilization, and digestive enzyme activities were assessed.  Compared to POMM0 and POMM25, weight gain (WG), and specific growth rate (SGR), significantly (P