This work aimed to evaluate different crude fiber levels on reverted Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus, L) fingerlings performance and time of retention of food. One hundred and twenty-five fingerlings of Thai strain, 1.39 ± 0.03 g of initial weight were allotted to twenty-five 54 L aquarium, at five treatments and five replications on completely randomized design. Five isoenergy (3000 kcal/kg of digestible energy) and isoprotein (30% of crude protein) diets were formulated with five different crude fiber levels (3.65, 4.75, 6.00, 7.25 and 8.50%), for ranging cellulose and inert material addition. The experimental period was 64 days with 26.5ºC ± 0.8 in the morning and 27.5ºC ± 0.7 in the afternoon temperatures. No difference was observed to fingerlings performance (food conversion, final weight, weight gain), but a linear decrease to time of retention of food with crude fiber addition.
cellulose; fiber; fish; nutrition; Oreochromis; tilapia
