ABSTRACT
The study evaluate the growth response of and egg production of A. marginata and Limicolaria abinsiensis fed with varied fruits in captive breeding system. A total of Sixty (60) African giant land snails at point of laying (A. marginata) of mean weight of 128.3g and sixty (60) matured L. Abinsiensis of mean weight of 24.2g were used for the research. The experiment was laid out in completely randomized design (CRD) with four treatments and each replicated thrice with five snails per replicate. The treatments were T1 (watermelon fruit), T2 (pineapple fruit), T3 (mixture of watermelon and pineapple fruits, 1:1) and T4 (control; cocoyam and pawpaw leaves). The trials lasted for (10) weeks. The results revealed significant differences (P<0.05) in mean weekly weight gain, shell length increment and shell width increment, feed conversion ratio, carcass, shell and visceral weights, mean egg weight, length and diameter of the snails among the various fruits considered in the study. The values obtained in snails fed pineapple had significantly (P<0.05) higher values for A. marginata of 22.2+3.7g, 1.09+0.2cm, 1.71+0.26cm, 3.04+0.2g, 1.98+0.1cm, 2.04+0.2cm, 187.6+6.0g, 117.4+5.2g and 30.8+1.7g for weight gain, shell length and width increment and survival rate respectively and A. abinsiensis of 1.9+0.01g, 0.38+0.01cm, 0.69+0.02cm, 0.85+0.02g, 0.58+0.01cm, 0.60+0.01cm, 23.8+2.5g, 12.0+1.8g and 3.4.8+0.4g for weight gain, shell length and width increment and survival rate respectively than every other snails fed other fruits and feed used for this study. The results also showed that the the highest percentage number of eggs, fertility and hatchability were observed in snails fed pineapple fruit. The results further showed that the lowest embryo mortality was observed in pineapple feed regime. The study concluded that snails fed pineapple fruit performed better in their growth performance compared to the other feed regimes used for the study. The finding recommended that for optimum performance in terms of growth, pineapple fruits should be added to the snails feed.
