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Email the author (Login required) Mango meals (Mangifera indica L. var. Ataulfo) as an energy source in diets for juvenile Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus): growth parameters and blood biochemistry
Submited: 2025-04-30 14:50:16 | Published: 2025-10-31 20:21:54
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3856/vol53-issue5-fulltext-3433
Abstract
The present study evaluated the growth and blood biochemistry response of juvenile Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fed mango (Mangifera indica L. var. Ataulfo) by-products (peel, seed, and pulp) as an energy source in partial substitution for fish meal (FM). Six experimental diets were prepared with 10 and 20% FM replacement using mango peel, seed, and pulp meals, as well as a control diet without mango inclusions. All diets were formulated as isolipidic (7%) and isoenergetic (18 kJ kg-1). For 60 days, juvenile tilapia (average initial weight of 2.4 ± 0.3 g) were fed with the diets. At the end of the experiment, weight gain, specific growth rate, and feed conversion ratio were significantly influenced by the mango energy source, with diets containing pulp (10 and 20% substitution) producing the best growth values. Likewise, the viscerosomatic index increased significantly when mango pulp was included in the diets. In contrast, the protein efficiency ratio was higher at the higher mango by-product inclusion level (20%), regardless of the type of by-product. In blood biochemistry, triglycerides and cholesterol decreased in fish-fed diets containing peel and seed meals, while total plasma protein decreased in diets with 20% of by-products. The present study demonstrates that it is possible to substitute up to 50% of the FM, as well as a saving of up to 25% of the total protein in the diet, with the use of mango pulp meal without affecting the growth or blood biochemistry of O. niloticus.
