IMPACT OF POWDERED ACTIVATED CHARCOAL ON WATER QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF Clarias gariepinus FINGERLINGS FED COMMERCIAL FEED

Abstract

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of powdered activated charcoal on water quality and performance 
characteristics of Clarias gariepinus fingerlings. Two hundred and twenty-five mixed sex of C. gariepinus 
fingerlings (8.15± 0.5g) were reared in fifteen plastic cisterns of forty-five liters capacity each with fifteen net
pouch powdered activated charcoal, respectively. Each net-pouch and plastic container were replicated thrice 
using Complete Randomized Design experimental method. Powdered activated charcoal were portioned in a net
pouch and submerged in each experiment and replicated thrice at 0g, 25g, 50g, 75g, and 100g of powdered 
activated charcoal respectively. Branded fish feed was used for the feeding of C. gariepinus fingerlings for 12 
weeks. Water quality and fish growth parameters were taken during the experiment and the results obtained were 
subjected to one-way ANOVA for computational analyses. The results showed average FCR ranged between 0.96 
and 1.45, SGR ranged between 0.58 and 0.96, AWG ranged between 66.36 and 141.67. Also, PER ranged between 
0.01 and 0.052 while feed intake ranged between 103.88 and 149.45.   There are significant differences in weight 
gain, specific growth rate and protein efficiency ratio while there is no significant difference in average feed 
intake and feed conversion ratio at p < 0.05. Moreover, there is significant water quality improvement in the 
treatment 4.  C. gariepinus fingerlings in treatment 4 had the highest average weight gain and the lowest average 
FCR. It is therefore recommended that powdered activated charcoal can be introduced to pond water for culturing 
of C. gariepinus at 75g/40liter of water for optimum fish growth performance and improved water quality without 
any adverse effect on fish health.