Abstract

This study evaluates moringa leaf meal supplementation on growth performance and survival of mono-sex Nile tilapia in cage culture system. A 120-day feeding trial was conducted at the Aquaculture Research Center, Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Nepal. Five experimental diets (T0, T1, T2, T3, T4) were formulated with increasing levels of moringa leaf meal (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20%) as partial replacement for soybean meal, maintaining a crude protein level of 30%. Fish were stocked in cages and hand-fed once daily at decreasing feeding rates (5 to 3%) of body weight. Growth parameters: total harvest weight (THW), specific growth rate (SGR), feed conversion ratio (FCR), protein efficiency ratio (PER), and survival rate, were assessed. Water quality parameters were monitored throughout the experiment. THW and survival rate were significantly affected (p<0.05) by dietary treatments. Although SGR and FCR did not significantly differ among treatments, T2 and T1 exhibited better feed acceptance and growth performance. Adding up to 10% of moringa leaf meal in Tilapia diets can be a practical and cost-effective alternative protein source for growth and survival. Further research is needed to refine the optimal inclusion levels and explore the long-term impact on fish health and overall productivity for sustainable aquaculture.

Key words: Moringa, Nile tilapia, partial replacement, feed conversion ratio, survival rate, sustainable aquaculture.