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Potential fish bone meal as alternative protein in diet of freshwater giant prawn and plant
production in aquaponic system

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1 Nasorriah Nasir, Najiah Musa, Faizah Shaharom-Harrison, Rasina Rasid *
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1 Faculty of Fisheries and Food Science Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus
Terengganu, Malaysia.

* Corresponding author: rrasina@umt.edu.my

Abstract:

The waste from the ‘Keropok Lekor’ industry which is the fishbone can be produced to be a product
that benefits the environment and community. Fish bone meal (FBM) contains high nutritional values
such as protein, lipids and minerals. Information on the potential and effects of FBM as an alternative
protein source in the diets fed to post larvae (PL) freshwater prawns (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) in
an aquaponic system is still lacking. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of FPM as a
partial substitute for protein in fish meal on the growth performances of giant freshwater prawns and
plant development in the aquaponic floating raft system. The basal diet, to which fish meal (FM) was
substituted for protein requirement for PL (35% protein) with FBM at 0% (as control diet), 10%
(FBM10%), 20% (FBM20%) and 25% (FBM25%). The practical diet formulation also includes
soybean, rice bran and wheat meal. A feeding trial was conducted using an aquaponic floating raft
system. Two types of vegetables, Brassica spp and Amaranthus spp, were cultured together with the
prawns (PL40). Uneaten feed and waste from the prawns functioned as fertilisers for plant development.
Four treatments with three replicates of M. rosenbergii (mean initial carapace length of 4.69 ± 0.14 mm;
the mean initial weight of 136.36±0.00 mg; n = 110/ replicate) were fed the experimental diets for 60
days. Dietary FBM20% showed a significant increment (p<0.05) of carapace length (11.63±0.06 mm)
compared to the control treatment (10.09±0.19 mm). The highest weight gain, specific growth rate
(SGR) and survival were recorded for dietary treatment FM20%. There were no significant differences
in both plant development observed between all treatments. In conclusion, FBM could be an alternative
protein source to FM with a replacement level of 20% without compromising the growth performances
of PL M. rosenbergii.

Keywords: Giant freshwater prawn, Sustainable feeds, Fishmeal replacement, Fish waste, Aquaponics
system