Evaluation of Ipomoea aquatica Supplemented Feed on the Growth and Digestive Enzyme Activities of the Juvenile Climbing Perch, Anabas testudineus (Bloch, 1792)

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The potential of Ipomoea aquatica, a semi-aquatic weed, as a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to animal-based protein in the diet of Anabas testudineus is being evaluated in this study. Five isonitrogenous diets with varying percentage incorporation of I. aquatica (0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%) were fed to A. testudineus juveniles (mean initial weight 0.75 g ± 0.01 g) for 60 days to evaluate their effects on the growth performance and digestive enzyme activities of the fish. The results demonstrated that a 15% inclusion of I. aquatica (IA15) significantly enhanced growth parameters such as body mass gain, specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio, and feed efficiency compared to other diets. The optimal dose of I. aquatica inclusion levels ranged from 16.64 to 17.50%, as indicated by regression analysis. The digestive enzymes, viz. amylase, trypsin, total protease, pepsin, and lipase, showed significantly (P< 0.05) higher activities in fish fed with IA15 diet. These findings suggest that I. aquatica may be included in the feed of A. testudineus up to 15%, replacing the costly animal-based protein. I. aquatica enriched diets can lead to an optimal growth and improved feed utilization in the fish without adversely affecting the nutrient composition of the fish, providing a feasible alternative source of protein to enhance sustainability and economic viability in the aquaculture of the species.

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