UFR-Sciences de la Nature, Laboratoire de Biologie et de Cytologie Animales, Pôle de Recherche Pêche et Aquaculture, Université Nangui ABROGOUA, 02 BP 801 Abidjan 02, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
With the aim of using less expensive animal protein sources in fish feed, a growth study of tilapia Oreochromis niloticus was carried out following the incorporation of insect larvae meal into its feed. Three diets with incorporation rates of 15% (R15), 20% (R20) and 25% (R25) of Rhynchophorus phoenicis weevil larvae meal were prepared using a feed based on agricultural by-products as a control diet (AT). The basic composition of the diets was: soybean meal, cottonseed meal, rice bran, wheat bran, vegetable oil and premix. 480 fish with an average weight of 14 ± 0.1 mg were distributed in eight aquaria at a density of 60 larvae per aquarium in duplicate. They were fed to satiation for the first month, then at 10% of their total live weight for the second month. After 60 days of rearing, the best feed conversion (0.22 ± 0.03) and final weight (5.06 ± 0.85g) were obtained with the R20 diet, followed by the R15 diet (0.32 ± 0.11; 3.86 ± 1.5 g) and R25 (0.36 ± 0.07; 3.15 ± 0.69 g). The lowest daily growth (0.06 ± 0.01 g/day) and highest conversion index (0.41 ± 0.08) were recorded with the control. Survival rates were 91.86% or higher. At the end of this study, weevil larvae meal could be used as a protein source for tilapia feed.