EVALUATION OF SOAKED SICKLE POD(SENNA OBTUSIFOLIA)SEED MEAL ON GROWTH RESPONSE OF AFRICAN CATFISH (CLARIAS GARIEPINUS,BURCHELL 1822.)FINGERLING

This study evaluated the potential of soaked sickle pod (Senna obtusifolia) seed meal (SSOSM) as a partial replacement for soybean in the diet of African catfish (C.gariepinus). Four experimental diets were formulated with SSOSM inclusion levels of 0% (control), 10%,20%, and 30%, and their effects on growth response,feed utilization, survival, and cost-effectiveness were assessed over a 60-day feeding trial. Results indicated that the inclusion of 10%6 SSOSM in the diet supported growth response comparable to that control, with significant improvements in feed conversion ratio (1.49) and protein efficiency ratio (0.24).However,higher inclusion levels (20-30%) led to reduced growth metrics,likely due to residual anti-nutritionalfactors (tannins: 2.25%;phytates: 1.56%) despite the meal's moderate crude protein content (24.18%). Notably, survival rates were highest in the 30% SSOSM group (73.30%), suggesting potential health benefits unrelated to growth. Economically, the 10% SSOSM diet offered a favorable cost-benefit ratio (2.2006E3), making it a viable alternative to soybean.The study concludes that SSOSM can be effectively incorporated at 10% inclusion to reduce feed costs without compromising growth, while higher levels require further processing to mitigate anti-nutritional effects. These findings contribute to sustainable aquaculture practices by promoting locally sourced, cost-effective feed ingredients for African catfish production