The conclusions of studies on the incorporation of maggot meal in fish feed and its impact on zootechnical parameters are controversial due to the protein content of maggots varying from one author to another. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of maggot protein in the feed on the growth performance of tilapia Oreochromis niloticus fry at the juvenile stage during 75 days of rearing. The study involved the incorporation of maggot protein at different rate into the diet of 0.8 ± 0.1 g Nile tilapia reared in a concrete tank. Three diets (D20, D30 and D40) with maggot protein contents of 20, 30 and 40% respectively, competing with a local industrial reference feed (RD) ALIMPOI, were randomly applied in duplicate to the fish. The initial rationing rate applied was 20% the first month, 15% the second month and 10% the third month. The survival rates (Ts) were 99.89 ± 0.9, 98.96 ± 0.65, 99.59 ± 0.41 and 99.91 ± 0.7% respectively for RD, D20, D30 and D40 diet. The results obtained show that the best growth and feed efficiency performances were obtained with the RD (45.80g) and D40 (44.32g) diets. Maggot protein incorporated at 40% in Nile tilapia feed improves its growth performance (45.80 ± 8.93, 24.73 ± 5.37, 24.75 ± 4.66 and 44.32 ± 7.97 g, respectively for RD, D20, D30 and D40 diets). The use of feed containing maggot meal generated respective production cost reduction rates of 47.53, 53.65 and 64.67% for D20, D30 and D40 compared to the reference feed.

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.