Effect of dietary supplementation of inorganic phosphorus on feed intake, protein intake, feed conversation and phosphorus gain/loss of the hybrid African catfish <i>Heterobranchus bidorsalis</i> X <i>Clarias gariepinus</i> fry

Sixteen experimental diets were formulated to include four groups of inorganic phosphorus (P) sources {monosodium phosphate (MSP), monopotassium phosphate (MPP), monocalcium phosphate (MCP), and dicalcium phosphate (DCP) at four levels {A(0.40%), B(0.60%), C(0.80% and D(1.20%)}. Two controls of a non-phosphorus supplemental diet (CD) and a purified diet (PD) were fed along with the other 16 experimental diets to the fry of Heterobranchus bidorsalis X Clarias gariepinus hybrid (mean weight, 1.5 ± 0.12 g) at 5% body weight per day for 70 days. The results showed that the feed intake (FI), the protein intake (PI), the food conversion ratio (FCR) and the phosphorus gain/loss (PGL) varies significantly among the 18 diets tested (P < 0.001). The effect of the inorganic P sources on FI, PI, FCR and PGL was also significantly different (P < 0.001). The MSP supplemented diets appeared to elicit better responses in the fish than any of the other P-supplemented (MCP, MPP and DCP) diets. A comparatively higher quantity of protein was consumed by the fish fed the MSP diets (15.28%) than other P-supplemented diets. A loss in the percent phosphorus content of fish flesh fed MSP diet was observed (-0.04%).Based on the above, MSP diets were the best for enhancing growth.