Effect of Partial Replacement of Commercial Protein with Black Soldier Fly Larvae (Hermetia illucens) on the Growth Performance and Survival Rate of Juvenile Climbing Perch (Anabas testudineus)

EFFECTS OF PARTIAL REPLACEMENT OF COMMERCIAL FEED WITH BLACK SOLDIER FLY (Hermetia illucens) LARVAE ON THE GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND SURVIVAL RATE OF CLIMBING PERCH (Anabas testudineus) FINGERLINGS

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of replacing part of commercial feed 
with black soldier fly larvae on the growth performance and survival rate of spiny head 
climbing perch fingerlings over a 50-day rearing period. The experiment consisted of four 
treatments: NT1 was fed 100% commercial feed; NT2, NT3, and NT4 were fed diets in 
which 25%, 50%, and 75% of the commercial feed was replaced with black soldier fly 
larvae, respectively. Each treatment was replicated three times, with a stocking density 
of 30 fish per 21-L tank.The results showed that environmental parameters, including 
temperature, pH, NO₂, and NO₃, remained within suitable ranges for fish development. 
After 50 days of rearing, NT1 showed the highest values for body weight, length, and 
survival rate, at 21.92 g/fish, 13.75 cm/fish, and 96.7%, respectively. The treatments 
supplemented with black soldier fly larvae still supported fish growth, although their 
results were generally lower than those of NT1. Among these treatments, NT4 reached 
a final body weight of 21.53 g/fish, which was lower than NT1 and NT2 but higher than 
NT3; however, NT4 recorded the lowest survival rate, at 86.0%.Overall, spiny head 
climbing perch fingerlings were able to utilize diets supplemented with black soldier fly 
larvae. However, under the conditions of this experiment, the treatment using 100% 
commercial feed resulted in more stable growth performance and survival rate.