MACROMINERAL EVALUATION OF WILD AND CULTURED CLARIAS GARIEPINUS FROM AFIKPO METROPOLIS

Clarias gartepinus is a large, eel-like fish often dark gray or black in colour, belonging to Claviidae family and widely distributed and accepted by many farmers. The study evaluated the macrominerals of wild and cultured Clarias garipinus acquired from Afikpo metropolis. Clarias garipinus were acquired from Ndibe River (wild) Umeco's Farm (cultured), labeled, and transported to the laboratory for processing. Each, sample was prepared by washing under running tap, dissecting to remove the intestine, and bones, drying in a hot air oven and pulverizing using a clean mortar and pestle. The samples were further ashed and digested and were analyzed for the concentrations of Ca, Mg, P, Na, K, Cl, and S using Flame Photometric techniques under standard laboratory procedures. The results obtained are Ca; T1: 1.74, T2: 2.97, T3 2.01, T4 3.02, Mg, T1 0.63, T2: 1.07, T3: 0.73, T4: 1.09, P; T1: 0.10, T2: 0.17, 13 0.12, T4: 0.17, Na; T1: 0.05, T2: 0.09, T3: 0.06, T4: 0.09, K; T1: 0.28, Th 0.48, T3: 0.32 and T4: 0.49. Findings shows that cultured Clarias gariepinus has a higher macromineral levels compared to wild Clarias gariepinus with the most difference observed in the sexes of the Clarias gariepinus analyzed in the study which indicates that male cultured and wild are much higher in macrominerals compared to female cultured and wild Clarias gariepinus. The difference in the mineral composition of Clarias gariepinus in the study is implicated to their respective habitats, and feeding type. The study suggests implementation of adequate technology in aquaculture to improve the nutritional value of the cultured fishes and regulation in the discharge of waste in water bodies to preserve the aquatic ecosystem.