Water Quality and Growth Performance of Nile Tilapia Fries Fed on Insect-Based Feeds

Fish feed is one of the main constraints on the growth of aquaculture in Kenya. The lack of high-quality and competitively priced feeds means that the fish farmers are unable to expand their production. To ensure that aquaculture remains viable and sustainable, it is necessary to optimize production through the utilization of locally available feeding materials. Insect-based feeds are alternative least-cost feeding resource in fish production. Using alternative protein sources such as black soldier fly larvae (BSF) and daphnia meal in place of fishmeal (Omena and Dagaa) is an ingenious strategy for sustainable fish aquaculture. This study evaluated the effect of four treatments: BSF, daphnia, Omena from Lake Victoria and Dagaa from Lake Tanganyika on the fish pond environmental parameters and fish fries’ performance (body weight and length). The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse with 30 fingerlings in each experimental unit. The feeding trials took 23 days. Results indicated that the four treatments have a varied effect on the BW and L of fish fries. A high growth rate was observed in Daphia, followed by BSF, Omena and Dagaa in that order. On the other hand, the treatments have varied effects on pond parameters with BSF promoting too much growth of algae. BSF have higher amounts of ammonia, nitrates and phosphorus, which stimulate the high growth of algae.