As other animals, fish needs essential nutrients to enable metabolic activities including growth, reproduction, repairs, etc. In fish culture practices, studies on the quantity and rate of feeding are aimed at identifying the optimum level/ration. Objective: This study evaluated growth performance, feed utilization and survival of Clarias gariepinus fingerlings fed varying feeding levels diets in tarpaulin tanks for 14 weeks (August -November, 2019). Methodology: The experiment was carried out

more »

... t Fulfillment Fish Farm in Uyo Metropolis, Nigeria using 9 tarpaulin tanks of 1M 3 . Three (3) feeding levels were chosen as treatments with triplicates. These were 2%, 4% and 6% fresh body weight of the fish and were designated as 2FL, 4FL and 6FL respectively. Twenty-five fingerlings each was randomly stocked in the tanks (25fish/m 2 ) and starved for 24 hours before the commencement of the feeding trial and the initial mean weight (3.69±0.01 g) was measured. The fish was fed twice daily (08:00 hrs and 16:00 hrs) at 2%, 4% and 6% respectively with Alaqua feed at 42% crude protein. The feeding rate was adjusted fortnightly with increase in body weight. Results: Results showed significance (p<0.05) in mean final weight, mean weight gain, specific growth rate, percentage weight gain, performance index, feed conversion ratio and protein efficiency ratio across the feeding trials with 6FL having highest growth response and 2FL having better feed utilization. Survival rate and mortality rate were non significant (p>0.05) across treatments. Conclusion: On the basis of growth response, feeding African catfish (C. gariepinus) at 6% body weight per day is recommended for raising African catfish at reduced cost of production.