Effects of Wetting Media Cattle Blood, Rice Gruel and Water on the Yield and Amino Acid Composition of Tubificid Worms

The effects of three wetting media (cattle blood, rice gruel and subsurface clean water) of the culture media ingredients (a mixture of mustard oil cake, soybean meal and mud) on the yield and amino acid composition of tubificid worms cultured on a pilot scale in a fish farm for 42 days were evaluated. The worm yields were in the order: cattle blood wetted media (683.68 ± 3.86 mg/cm2), rice gruel (615.63 ± 3.66 mg/cm2), water (584. 38 ± 1.41 mg/cm2). Lysine, arginine and leucine were the most prevalent of the eight essential amino acids in worms cultured in the media wetted in cattle blood medium. The results suggested that a mixture of 40% mustard oil cake, 30% soybean meal and 30% mud can be used for the commercial culture of tubificid worms as live fish food. The tubificid worms showed high level of amino acids suitable for fish that require a high content of dietary amino acids. Asiat. Soc. Bangladesh, Sci. 45(2): 229-239, December 2019