Abstract

The effects of K. africana fruit (Lam. Benth), family bignoniaceae, were investigated on the sperm quality of C. gariepinus, (mean body weight, 396.05±7.04). Five diets with crude protein of 40% were formulated with different inclusion levels of K. africana powder. D1 (control) has 0 g/kg of the powder, while D2, D3, D4 and D5 has 50, 100, 150 and 200 g/kg of the K. africana powder.  A total of 120 C. gariepinus were randomly distributed in triplicate into 15 concrete tanks (2×2×1.5m) at stocking density of 8 fish per tank and constant water level of 1m was maintained in the experimental tanks. The tank contained pond water (PH ? 7.2, oxygen? 4.3 mg/l, temperature? 26. 2 ⁰C). The fish were fed at 3% of body weight twice a day between 8.00-9.00 am and 4.00-5.00 pm for a period of 90 days. The qualities of the milt were assessed by aid of microscope and by fertility tests.  The male brood fish fed 100 g/kg had significantly higher (P<0.05) sperm counts (6.5± 1.2x10⁹sperm/m), % motility (92%), fertilization ability (90.88±1.03), lower milt volume (1.45±0.71) and motility duration of (39.00±1.4). However, significant differences were not observed in the length and weight of the testes among the diet groups (p>0.05). The results of the study has shown that K. africana fruits possess promising pro-fertility which can be exploited in fish seeds production and  100 g/kg of K. africana based diet was the best tolerance level of inclusion, which could give satisfactory and efficient result on the sperm quality and fertility of C. gariepinus

Key words: Kigelia africana, sperm quality, fertility, Clarias gariepinus.

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