Mango (Mangifera indica) and Banana (Musa acuminata) Peelings as Alternative and Sustainable Feeds for Red Tilapia (Oreochromis spp.)

Macusi, Edison D.; Macusi, Daniel Amos S.; Jimenez, John Edward M.

doi:10.21608/ejabf.2025.415576.6436

Mango (Mangifera indica) and Banana (Musa acuminata) Peelings as Alternative and Sustainable Feeds for Red Tilapia (Oreochromis spp.)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Davao Oriental State University (DOrSU), Mati City, Davao Oriental

² Panabo City National High School, Panabo City, Davao Del Norte, Philippines

³ Fisheries Catch Assessment Group, Davao Oriental State University, Mati City, Davao Oriental, Philippines

10.21608/ejabf.2025.415576.6436

Abstract

The increasing waste generated from fruit consumption and processing poses environmental concerns while also presenting untapped opportunities in sustainable aquaculture. This study investigated the potential of mango (Mangifera indica) and banana (Musa acuminata) peels as supplementary feed additives to enhance the growth performance and survival rate of red tilapia (Oreochromis spp.) fingerlings. The experiment consisted of three dietary treatments: (1) pure commercial feed (control), (2) banana peel + commercial feed, and (3) mango peel + commercial feed. Growth performance was assessed through weight measurements, while survival rates were determined based on recorded mortalities. One-way ANOVA results (F= 1.03, P= 0.364) indicated no statistically significant differences in weight gain among the treatments. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that fish weight was positively correlated with water temperature and pH but negatively correlated with dissolved oxygen levels. While growth performance remained the same, the mango and banana peel-supplemented groups exhibited lower mortality rate, suggesting potential health benefits. However, external factors such as water quality fluctuations likely influenced survival outcomes. These findings suggest that while fruit peel supplementation did not enhance growth performance over the control, it may have other benefits, such as improved resilience. Future studies should explore longer trial durations, varied inclusion levels, and potential immunological effects to determine the full impact of fruit peel supplementation in tilapia aquaculture.

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