Comparison of experimentally elaborated food from regionally available products with commercial foods of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) in the Mexican highlands

Abstract

Aquaculture increasingly contributes to human nutrition, but the expansion of semi-intensive systems 
is limited by the high cost of commercial food. This is the case of the semi-intensive production of carp 
(Cyprinus carpio) in artificial lakes and reservoirs in the state of Tlaxcala in the Mexican highlands. 24% 
cheaper alternative food from duckweed (Lemna sp.) (37%), soya (Glycine max) (36%), corn (Zea mays) 
(9%), wheat grain and bran (Triticum vulgare) (9% each) was elaborated on. The increased weight of 
carps fed with this cheap alternative food and the commercially available food was compared as well. 
The contents of proteins, carbohydrates and lipids were 35, 41, and 4% respectively for both kinds of 
food. Two hundred carps were evenly distributed over 4 concrete tanks of 100 m2 . Two tanks were 
assigned for feeding, each tank with one kind of food during 84 days at a rate of 5% of carp weight per 
day. The alternative food performed better than the commercial food. We conclude that the cost of food 
for carp production in the Mexican highlands can significantly be reduced by switching to the 
alternative food.