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Earthworm powder as an alternative protein source in diets for common carp ( C yprinus carpio L.)
Author(s) -
Ngoc Tuan Nguyen,
Pucher Johannes,
Becker Klaus,
Focken Ulfert
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
aquaculture research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.646
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1365-2109
pISSN - 1355-557X
DOI - 10.1111/are.12743
Subject(s) - earthworm , fish meal , cyprinus , common carp , biology , carp , ingredient , feed conversion ratio , commercial fish feed , zoology , food science , fishery , aquaculture , fish <actinopterygii> , ecology , body weight , endocrinology
The increasing need for aquafeed resources and the finite availability of conventional feed resources are making it necessary to search for alternative high‐protein resources that are not used as human food. The earthworm P erionyx excavatus was tested as a feed ingredient in diets for common carp. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the potential of earthworm powder as a replacement for fishmeal. In a recirculation aquarium system, triplicate groups of five common carp ( C yprinus carpio L .) were fed a control feed (fishmeal based protein), or experimental diets in which 30% ( EW 30), 70% ( EW 70), or 100% ( EW 100) of fishmeal protein was replaced by earthworm protein. Fish growth, feed digestibility and feed utilization were monitored. Growth rate, protein efficiency and energy retention in fish were similar ( EW 30, EW 100) or higher ( EW 70) for diets containing earthworm meal compared to the control diet. Protein digestibility in EW 30, EW 70 and EW 100 was higher than in the control diet, but in ( EW 100), lipid conversion was lower. We conclude that earthworm is a suitable partial replacement for fishmeal in feeds for common carp.