Addition of pineapple flesh in the diets of red hybrid tilapia (oreochromis niloticus x oreochromis mossambicus): Effect on growth performance and survivability

Red hybrid tilapias (Oreochromis niloticus X Oreochromis mossambicus) with an average weight of 2.50±0.29g were used to investigate the pineapple flesh effects in the diets of red hybrid tilapia on growth performance and survivability. The liquid sample from pineapple flesh was filtered and sprayed to the commercial feed at different volumes. The treatments consist of Control: no addition of liquid sample from pineapple flesh; Treatment 1: addition of 12.5 ml of liquid sample from pineapple flesh per 100 g of commercial feed; Treatment 2: addition of 31.25 ml of liquid sample from pineapple flesh per 100 g of commercial feed; Treatment 3: addition of 50 ml of liquid sample from pineapple flesh per 100 g of commercial feed. The feeding trial was conducted for six weeks of duration. The results showed that, Treatment 3 with addition of 50 ml of liquid sample from pineapple flesh per 100 g of commercial feed has higher in weight gain (WG) with 39.00 g per fish compared with Control (15.60 g), Treatment 1 (32.00 g) and treatment 2 (32.80 g). In specific growth rate (SGR) also Treatment 3 with 50 ml addition of liquid sample from pineapple flesh per 100 g of commercial feed was the highest with 1.62 % per day compared with Control (0.88 %), Treatment 1 (1.57 %) and treatment 2 (1.59 %). The better feed conversion ratio (FCR) was Treatment 3 (0.16) compared with treatment 1 (0.20), Treatment 2 (0.22) and Control (0.35). Survivability rate for red hybrid tilapia fish was higher in Treatment 3 (93.3%) compared with Control (60%), Treatment 1 (75.5%) and Treatment 2 (80%). The finding provided economic alternative of feed enrich with pineapple to increase tilapia’s growth and survivability through feed additive.