Corn replacement with triticale in Nile tilapia diets was assessed. The fish were submitted to a performance test in a system of aquariums (50 L) with controlled temperature and water recirculation. Fingerlings weighing from 1.7 ± 0.08 g were stocked in 30 aquaria in a randomized complete block with five replacement levels (0.0, 25.0, 50.0, 70.0 and 100.0%) of corn with triticale and six replications. The performance parameters analyzed were: survival, weight gain, apparent feed conversion, feed intake, cost, hepato-somatic index, viscero-somatic index; blood parameters: number of erythrocytes, hemoglobin concentration, hematocrits percentage, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration. The data were submitted to variance analysis and compared by Duncan's test. At 60 days of assessment there was greater survival of fish that received diet with 25.0% substitution compared to those fed diet without triticale. At 100 days of assessment the fish fed diet with triticale at the level of 50.0% presented the worst feed conversion rate and highest feed intake. Triticale inclusion influenced the blood parameters, increasing the number of red blood cells and reducing the mean corpuscular volume. Triticale can replace up to 100% corn in Nile tilapia fingerling diets without affecting the fish performance, feed cost and carcass quality.
fish culture; nutrition; Oreochromis niloticus; Triticum turgisecale
