UTILIZATION OF MAGGOT FLOUR (Hermetia illucens) FERMENTED USING ASPERGILLUS NIGER IN FEED FOR THE GROWTH OF GOURAMI FISH (Osphronemus goramy) JUVENILE

Abstract

This study evaluated the utilization of maggot flour fermented with Aspergillus niger in gourami fish seed feed. The research was conducted using a one-factor Complete Random Design (RAL) with five treatments and three replications. The treatment used was feed without fermented maggot flour (P₀), feed containing 25% fermented maggot flour (P₁), feed containing 50% fermented maggot flour (P₂), feed containing 75% fermented maggot flour (P₃), and 100% feed containing fermented maggot flour (P₄). Fish with an average initial weight of 2.93 ± 4.00 g were stocked into 15 net cages (1 × 1 × 1 m³) at a density of 25 fish per cage. The fish were fed test feeds at 10% of their body weight, 3 times daily (08:00, 13:00, and 17:00), for 56 days. Feed digestibility was assessed in an aquarium (60 × 40 × 40 cm³) at a dense stocking density of 10 fish per m³. The test feed contained 0,5 % Cr2O3. The results indicated that the inclusion of 75% fermented maggot meal yielded the best outcomes, with feed digestibility of 74.36%, protein digestibility of 88.76%, feed efficiency of 46.10%, protein retention of 33.38%, specific growth rate of 3.29% per day, and a survival rate of 100%.