Influence of Different Type of Feeds on Growth Performance in Black Molly, Poecilia sphenops

 

Author(s): V. Sumithra, A. Janakiraman, K. Altaff

Abstract: Ornamental fish keeping and its propagation has been an important activity for many, which provide not only aesthetic pleasure but also financial openings. The industrial development of freshwater ornamental fish culture has been hampered by the lack of suitable live feed for rearing the fish at the various production stages. Black molly, Poecilia sphenops is the most popular of the domesticated variety of ornamental omnivourous and viviparous fish. The fries of P. sphenops readily fed on all small-sized live food.  An attempt was made to determine the influence of different live feeds [rotifer (Brachionus plicatilis), cladoceran (Ceriodaphnia reticulata), copepod (Apocyclops dengizicus) and mixture of these live food organisms] on the growth of this fish in comparison to pelletized feed. In the present study, molly fries were fed with different types of live feed for 35 days and their performances in terms of growth and survival were determined. Length and weight gain and specific growth rate was higher in fishes fed with mixed live feed, followed by copepod, and rotifer feeds. Survival rate was also higher in fishes fed with mixed feed, followed by rotifers and copepods. It is observed that desirable growth and survival might not be achieved with pelletized feed in rearing early fries of molly.

 

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