Sodium alginate as a binder in fish feeds and its effects on the nutritive quality of tilapia diets.

Abstract

Pelleted feeds A.B, C and D containing 4% 3%, 2% and 1% sodium alginate respectively were tested for water stability in terms of floatation time, sinking rates and crumbing rates (on getting to the bottom of the tank). Results showed that although all the pellets had Zero Floatation time, it took pellets from the D group longer time to sink. A and B pellets sank at equal rates. The crumbling rates on getting to the bottom tended to decrease with decreasing levels of binder. When the diets were later fed to four groups of Tilapia fingerlings for seven weeks, results showed that the growth rate, feed conversion efficiencies and protein efficiency rations followed the trend C> D> B> A. It is therefore suggested that 2% level of alginate binder is quite optimum in fish feeds especially for Tilapia.