Effects of Silkworm Pupae Meal and Black Soldier Fly Meal as Fishmeal Replacements on Growth Performance and Digestive Enzyme Activity in Heteropneustes fossilis
A. Abulhasan
*
Dr. M.G.R Fisheries College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Dr. J. Jayalalithaa Fisheries University, Ponneri, Tamil Nadu -601204, India.
S. Aanand
Erode Bhavanisagar Centre for Sustainable Aquaculture (EBCeSA), Tamil Nadu Dr. J. Jayalalithaa Fisheries University, Bhavanisagar, Erode, Tamil Nadu - 638 451, India.
Cheryl Antony
Directorate of Sustainable Aquaculture, Tamil Nadu Dr J. Jayalalithaa Fisheries University, Soorakkottai, Tamil Nadu - 611 002, India.
R. Somu Sunder Lingam
Krishnagiri Barur Centre for Sustainable Aquaculture (KBCeSA), Tamil Nadu Dr. J. Jayalalithaa Fisheries University, Barur, Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu – 635 201, India.
Karthireddy Syamala
ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Kakinada Centre, Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh - 533 001, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: To assess the performance of silkworm pupae and black soldier fly larvae based diets on the growth, digestive performance, and carcass composition of Heteropneustus fossilis juveniles fed with BSF & SWP meal based diets. By assessing the nutritional and functional potential of these insect based ingredients, the study contributes valuable insights into developing more sustainable feed with partial replacement to fishmeal. The findings can support the reduction of dependence on conventional fish meal, promote bioresource utilization, and guide research on alternative protein sources for aquaculture.
Study Design: The ingredients used for replacement with fish meal for this study were silkworm pupae meal (SWP) and black soldier fly meal (BSF). Diets containing silkworm pupae meal and black soldier fly meal were designed, each with two levels of replacement of fish meal viz., 25% and 50%, and a crude protein level of 40% were prepared using four combinations of diets named as (25% SWP, 50% SWP, 25% BSF, and 50% BSF). A diet with only fishmeal with 40% crude protein was used as the control diet (C).
Place and duration of study: Erode Bhavani Sagar Centre for Sustainable Aquaculture, between 2024 and 2025.
Results: After the 60th day of the experiment, it is observed that T2-50% SWP showed better performance in terms of weight gain (6.98±0.14 g), specific growth rate SGR (4.07±0.41), better feed efficiency ratio FER (0.75±0.03), and protein efficiency ratio PER (1.86±0.08). The FCR was also significantly lower (P < 0.05) in T2-50% (1.32 ± 0.05) SWP, followed by other treatment groups and control diet-fed fishes. The higher activity of protease (2.37 ± 0.03 U/mg/protein) and higher activity of enzymes of metabolism MDH (0.135 ± 0.004 unit/mg/protein/min) and LDH (0.146 ± 0.003 unit/mg/protein/min) resulted in the increase in protein level (17.84 ± 0.15) in the body of T2-50% diet-fed stinging catfish, and the higher weight gain in T2-50% indicates the better utilization of protein in the diet.
Conclusion: Hence, the T2-50% group of fishmeal replaced with silkworm pupae meal significantly enhanced overall growth performance, improved digestive efficiency, provided better nutrient utilization, and optimized carcass composition.
Keywords: Silkworm pupae meal, aquaculture, growth, metabolism, black soldier fly meal, stinging catfish