Asian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Research

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary lipid in a practical diet on the growth performance, body composition, and production of Thai climbing perch (Anabas testudineus). The experiment was conducted in six ponds for 100 days (mean area 0.0020 hectares and water depth of 1.5m) at the field laboratory of Department of Fisheries, University of Rajshahi. Feed formulation was performed with basal diet and a different concentration of lipid (soybean oil), considering the nutritional balance of the diets. Three different experimental diets were prepared containing soybean oil 0% (T₁), 5% (T₂), and 10 % (T₃). At the time of rearing experiment, some water quality parameters like temperature, pH, DO and CO₂ were monitored. After rearing, growth performance was analyzed. All the water quality parameters were found within suitable limits. The final weight, weight gain, and SGR of fish were found to be significantly higher (P<.05) in the treatment group T₃ than in the fish group T₂ and T₁. The FCR value was significantly lower inT₃ (1.83±0.02) than in the T₁ (2.43±0.13) fish group. The yield was significantly higher in T₃ (7046.48±25.57 kg/ha) fish group than other groups. The body composition of whole fish was significantly different among the treatments. Lipid content was higher in T₃ (6.01±0.19) rather than inT₂ (5.78±0.17) and T₁ (5.05±0.14). Recent findings suggest that incorporating 10% soybean oil into a typical diet may be optimal for pond-based Thai climbing perch culture.