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**Fermented unripe plantain (Musa paradisiacal) peel meal as a replacement for maize in the diet of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fingerlings**

Obasa,¹* S. O., Taiwo I. O, Bamidele,¹ N. A, Babalola¹, E. O., Odebiyi,¹ O. C., Adeoye,² A. A. and Uzamere,² O. V.

¹Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries Management, Federal University of Agriculture, PMB 2240, Abeokuta, Nigeria, Institute of Food Security, Environmental Resources and Agricultural Research, Federal University of Agriculture, PMB 2240, Abeokuta, Nigeria,
²School of Biomedical and Biological Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom.

Malaysian J. Anim. Sci. 2017 20(2): 121-130

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A feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effect of fermented unripe plantain peel meal (FUP) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility and economic indices of production of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, fingerlings. A total of 150 Nile tilapia fingerlings (mean 1.70�0.1g) were stocked at 10 fingerlings per plastic tank. Five isonitrogenous diets containing 40% crude protein in which maize meal was replaced by FUP at 0% (FUP0), 25% (FUP25), 50% (FUP50), 75% (FUP75) and 100% (FUP100) were formulated and prepared. The fingerlings were fed at 5% body weight per day for 56 d. There was no significant difference (p> 0.05) in all growth parameters among the treatments. Feed conversion ratio of 1.35 in fish fed diet FUP25 was not significantly different (p>0.05) from 1.42 of fish fed diet FUP0. Apparent protein digestibility of 86.94% in fish fed diet FUP100 was significantly higher (p<0.05) than 70.37% in fish fed diet FUP0 while apparent carbohydrate digestibility of 88.34% in fish fed diet FUP0 was significantly different (p<0.05) from 70.29% of FUP100. Red blood cell (4.30 ml/mm3) of fish fed diet FUP100 was not significantly different from 4.13 ml/mm3 of fish fed diet FUP50.  The highest percentage profit of 88.85% in fish fed diet FUP100 was significantly higher than 66.68% in fish fed diet FUP0 while the profit index of 1.89 in fish fed diet FUP100 was significantly different from 1.67 in fish fed diet FUP0. Therefore, fermented unripe plantain peel meal can completely replace maize in the diet of O. niloticus fingerlings.