GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF SNUB NOSE POMPANO (Trachinotus blochii) FINGERLINGS USING FORMULATED DIET WITH VARYING SQUID INK LEVELS

A 60-day culture to determine the effects of varying squid ink levels on the growth performance of Snub nose pompano (Trachinotus blochii) fingerlings was conducted at the College of Fisheries and Research Station, Bawing, General Santos City. Twelve experimental aquaria measuring 24x12x12 inches was used as experimental units. Each aquaria containing 50 L water was stocked with 4 pieces snub nose pompano fingerlings with an initial weight of 6 g. The fish were fed three times a day with formulated diet with varying squid ink levels at a feeding rate of 10%. Complete Randomized Design was used in the study with four treatments replicated three times. The treatment assigned as follows: Treatment I (0% squid ink level), Treatment II (5% squid ink Level), Treatment III (10% squid ink level) and Treatment IV (15% squid ink level). The data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA. After 60 days of culture, fish in Treatment I showed the lowest average body weight, weight gain and daily weight gain of 15.63 g, 9.63 g and 0.16 g, followed by Treatment II with 16.13 g, 10.13 g, and 0.17 g and Treatment III with 16.37 g, 10.37 g and 0.17 g and highest was obtained in Treatment IV with 16.83 g, 10.83g and 0.18 g respectively. Duncan Post Hoc test recalled that Treatment I (0% squid ink level) was significantly lowest among all treatments while Treatment II (5% squid ink Ievel) and Treatment III (10% squid ink level) were not significantly different with each other. Significantly highest growth performance in Treatment IV (15% squid ink level). Highest feed conversion ratio wears obtained in Treatment I and Treatment II with 7.37 and 7.33 respectively followed by Treatment III with 7.24 and lowest obtained by Treatment IV with 7.04. Duncan Post hoc test revealed that FCR in Treatment I, II, and III were not significantly different from each other and Treatment IV FCR significantly lower among all treatments at P<0.05. No mortality of fish were recorded all throughout the experiment. Results of the Study revealed that feed incorporated with 15% squid ink levels resulted to significantly greater growth performance of snub nose pompano.