THE USE OF BIOFLOC MEAL AS A FEED INGREDIENT FOR TILAPIA (Oreochromis niloticus)

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the optimal percentage of biofloc meal that can be used as a feed ingredient for tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). The research employed an experimental method using a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) consisting of five treatments with three replications. The treatments included P0 (commercial feed without biofloc, as control), and feeds containing biofloc meal at levels of 20% (P20), 25% (P25), 30% (P30), and 35% (P35). The observed parameters were absolute weight gain and specific growth rate (SGR). The collected data were analyzed using the Kruskal–Wallis test at a 95% significance level. The results showed that the inclusion of biofloc meal up to 35% in the diet produced specific growth rates and absolute weight gains that were not significantly different (p > 0.05) from those obtained with commercial feed. The absolute weight gain ranged from 1.9 to 2.6 g, while the specific growth rate ranged from 1.6 to 2.1% per day. These findings indicate that biofloc meal can be utilized as a feed ingredient in tilapia diets at inclusion levels of up to 35% without negatively affecting growth performance.