EVALUATION OF GROWTH PERFORMANCE, PRODUCTION AND NUTRITIVE VALUE OF THF AFRICAN CATFISH, CLARIAS GARIEPINUS. CULTURED IN EARTHEN PONDS.

^mall African catfish, Clarias gariepinus collected from the ^neighbouring harvested farms with 21.67 cm and 88.24g average individual length and weight respectively. Fish were stocked in a freshwater earthen pond, with an area of 2 feddans and a bout 2 meters, at a rate of 22600 fish/ feddan (2000 kg/ feddan). Growth performance, production, nutritive value and net return were evaluated for 8 months. The fish attained an average final length of 47.4 cm/fish and an average final weight of 846 g/fish. The final total biomass was 18500 kg/feddan. The biochemical analysis of Clarias gariepinus flesh revealed high nutritive value, where total protein was 15.65 % and total lipid was 3.13 % on wet weight basis. The economic evaluation revealed high net return of 68500 L. E. /feddan during the rearing period (8 months) with investmental return of 3.85 L. E. /1 L. E. Cost.