RESEARCH ARTICLE

Journal of Oil Palm Research Vol. 19 (1) June 2007, p. 311-318

POTENTIAL OF UTILIZING RHINOCEROS BEETLES (Oryctes rhinoceros) as an ornamental fish feed supplement

NORMAN Kamarudin* ; RAMLE Moslim* ; OTHMAN Arshad* ; MOHD BASRI Wahid* ; CHONG, Alexander**

ABSTRACT

Oryctes rhinoceros adult beetles which are commonly trapped in pheromone traps in oil palm plantations can be used as a supplement for ornamental fish feed. Oryctes beetles were ground into powder and were incorporated with wheat, rice and fish feed formula. Initial feeding experiments using Oryctes powder + wheat and rice were conducted on several species of ornamental fishes such as puyu, Anabas testudineus; gold fish, Carassius auratus auratus; common carp, Cyprinus carpio carpio and oscar, Astronotus ocellatus. A final experiment using Oryctes powder as a supplement to a fish feed formula was tested on gold fish, carp, parrot fish (Cichlasoma) and common gourami (Osphronemus goramy). In this study, the Oryctes powder seem to be suitable for gold fish and carp on wheat mixtures. This article highlights the potential of using Oryctes powder as a supplement to the fish feed formula. The evaluation of the Oryctes supplemented pellets in comparison with other commercial types of fish feed are also discussed.

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* Malaysian Palm Oil Board, P. O. Box 10620, 50720 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
E-mail: norman@mpob.gov.my

** Universiti Sains Malaysia,
11800 Minden, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia