Dietary Effects of Desmodium (Desmodium adscendens) Leaves on the Reproductive Indices in African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) Broodstock

Abstract

The effects of sweetheart plant (Desmodium adscendens) leaf powder on thereproductive indices of Clarias gariepinus was investigated in this study. 30 Male C.gariepinus (mean weight 325.7 ±7.50g) and 30 female C. gariepinus (mean weight330.97 ± 2.31g) were used for the experiment. Five diets with a crude protein of 40%were formulated with inclusion level of 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0g of Desmodium adscendensleaf powder per 100g of basal feed designated as D1, D2, D3, D4, and D5 respectively.The fish were stocked in 20 concrete tanks (2m × 2m × 1.5m) at 3 fish/tank and waterlevel maintained at 1m throughout. Male and female fish were stocked separately. Thefish were fed at 3% body weight twice between 0800 and 1700 hours daily for 56 days.Male C. gariepinus broodstock fed 1.5 g of Desmodium adscendens leaf powder per100g of basal feed had significantly higher (P