Ž . Aquaculture 198 2001 129–140 www.elsevier.nlrlocateraqua-online Evaluation of an unconventional legume seed, Sesbania aculeata, as a dietary protein source for common carp, Cyprinus carpio L. M.A. Hossain a , U. Focken b , Klaus Becker b, ) a Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries, Bangladesh Agricultural UniÕersity, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh b Department of Animal Nutrition and Aquaculture, Institute for Animal Production in the Tropics and ( ) Sub-tropics 480 , UniÕersity of Hohenheim, D 70599, Stuttgart, Germany Received 31 July 2000; received in revised form 8 November 2000; accepted 8 November 2000 Abstract A 7-week feeding trial was conducted in a recirculation system at 27 "0.28C to evaluate the nutritive value of Sesbania aculeata seed meal as a possible protein source in the diet of common Ž carp. Sesbania seed meal was included in the diets at various levels 12%, 24%, 36% and 48% for diets 2, 3, 4 and 5, respectively, which correspond to 10%, 20%, 30% and 40% of dietary crude . protein and the response of fish fed these diets was compared to fish fed a fish meal based control Ž . diet 40% crude protein . All the diets were made iso-nitrogenous and iso-energetic. Each treatment had two replicates, eight fish per replicate, with mean initial mass of 5.25 "0.03 g. Fish Ž Ž. 0.8 . were fed six times of their maintenance requirement 3.2 =body mass g =kg ration daily. On the basis of the observed growth rate, feed conversion ratio, protein efficiency ratio, apparent Ž . Ž net protein utilisation and energy retention, diet 1 control and diet 2 containing 12% Sesbania . Ž . meal were similar and significantly P -0.05 better than the other dietary groups. Fish fed diets Ž . 3, 4, and 5 containing higher levels of Sesbania meal 24%, 36% and 48%, respectively showed significantly reduced growth performance compared to those fed diets 1 and 2. Fish fed diets Ž . containing higher levels )12% of Sesbania meal had significantly higher whole body moisture, lower lipid and gross energy content. The lower growth performance of fish fed diets containing higher levels of Sesbania meal is thought to be due to the presence of various antinutrients such as tannins and saponins in Sesbania seeds. The results of this study indicated that inclusion of up to Ž . 12% of untreated Sesbania seed meal 10% of the dietary protein in the diet did not affect the ) Corresponding author. Tel.: q49-711-459-3158; fax: q49-711-459-3702. Ž . E-mail address: kbecker@uni-hohenheim.de K. Becker . 0044-8486r01r$ - see front matter q 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Ž . PII: S0044-8486 00 00574-3