Impact of Partial Replacement of Fishmeal with Pumpkin Meal on Growth Performance, Feed Utilization, and Body Composition of the Nile Tilapia Fingerling (Oreochromis niloticus).

Twelve ponds were used in this experiment to study the effect of replacing fishmeal with pumpkin meal in the diet of Nile tilapia using four levels of soybean replacement (C=0, T1=50, T2=75, and T3=100) of the total fish meal of the control diet C. Each one was replicated in three ponds for 60 days. Nile tilapia fingers (2.41g) were transferred to the experimental ponds at a rate of 50 fingerlings/hap. At the end of the experimental period, there were no statistically significant differences in the survival rates between the fish fed on experimental diets. The highest significant (P>0.05) final body weight (FBW) and weight gain (WG) were achieved with the group fed on T2 followed by the group fed on T1. The group fed on T1 and T2 achieved the highest significant Specific Growth Rate (SGR) followed by the T3 group.  Treatment 2 recorded the best PER and FCR  followed by T3. Otherwise, the group fed the control diet gave the lowest FCR and PER. The highest (P>.05) PPV value was obtained for fish fed T2 with no significant differences among All experimental groups. The fish fed on the control diet was significantly higher(P>. O5) in the body moisture and crude protein content than the rest of the treatment fish was significantly higher (P > 0.05) in the body moisture content and less crude protein content than the other treatment.