COMPARATIVE STUDY OF PROXIMATE COMPOSITION OF NILE TILAPIA (OREOCHROMIS NILOTICUS) (LINNAEUS, 1758) FROM FRESH WATER AND BRACKISH WATER IN NIGER DELTA REGION, NIGERIA

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine and compare proximate composition and mineral content of Oreochromisniloticus from fresh water and brackish water. Fish samples were collected from Bayalsa State (fresh water samples) an Rivers State (Brackish samples) and analyzed for their nutrient compositions. The results of proximate composition of the O. niloticus from fresh water and brackish water showed that the moisture content was of 73.92% in brackish water species and 72.07% in freshwater,respectively, crude protein was of 17.90 % in brackish samples and 22.23% in the fresh water ones. Ash content had a percentage composition of 3.82 % in the brackish water and2.50% in the fresh water species.The level of lipid content of O. niloticus in fresh water (1.17±0.37) was found significantly (P<0.05) higher than that in  brackish water (0.39±0.04) samples. Further results showed that the levels of zinc in  both fish samples were found to be very close to each other (P<0.05) while the level of potassium content of  O. niloticus in fresh water was found significantly (P <0.05) higher than that of samples from brackish water with the value of 2.38±0.30mg/100g and 0.33±0.07mg/100g respectively. The results show that O.niloticus from the two sources of water has a good supply of fish nutrients and minerals.