Growth Response of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Fingerlings Fed Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) Seed Meal Replacing Fish Meal

This study investigated the efficacy of replacing fish meal with suitable Hibiscus sabdariffa seed meal in the diet of the Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. The aim of the study is to evaluate the effects of replacing fish meal with Hibiscus sabdariffa in the diet of the Nile tilapia fingerlings. A total of 300 Nile tilapia fingerlings (mean weight 5g) were randomly distributed into five treatments, each with three replicates. The treatments consisted of five nonnitrogenous dietary formulations: 0 (control), 25, 50, 75 and 100 % replacement of fish meal with Roselle seed meal. The results showed that fish fed with 50% Roselle seed meal replacing fish meal had significantly (p<0.05) higher weight gain (674.74g), specific growth rate (0.39) and lowest feed conversion ratio (1.02) compared with the control group. Proximate analysis revealed that Roselle seed meal contained 32.45% crude protein, 10.25% crude fat, and 5.5% crude fibre. This concludes that replacing up to 50% of fish meal with Roselle seed meal in the diet of the Nile tilapia fingerlings can improve their growth performance. This finding suggests that Roselle seed meal is a viable alternative protein source in sustainable aquaculture practices.