| Azolla pinnata as a possible replacement of the palm kernel cake in the diet of Oreochromis niloticus. Compounded diets from a control with palm kernel cake replaced at varying levels of 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100% with the aquatic fern (oven dried Azolla pinnata) were fed to Oreochromis niloticus for twelve weeks to determine the acceptability and utilization of the fern in the diet, verify the nutritional influence of the fern on the performance of the fish and possible optimum palm kernel cake replacement level. The fish readily accepted the test diets. Better growth responses were recorded in the treatments containing Azolla pinnata meal. The best response was observed in the 20% replacement level, thereby suggesting an optimum replacement. However... |
