Effect of use of soybean meal or spirulina meal in artificial diets for bull frogs (Rana catesbeiana) tadpoles.

Researchers in Mexico tested soybean meal and spirulina meal protein sources for the bull frog (Rana catesbeiana) tadpoles. The experiment consisted of replacing 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 percent of the fish meal in the diet that was fed for a seven-week period. They observed the tadpoles fed plant protein reached metamorphic climax before the control diet indicating a beneficial effect of the use of the plant material in rearing. The researchers concluded that the soybean and spirulina meals are good protein sources for commercial tadpole feeds. The performance and metamorphosis rate of tadpoles fed diets containing 25 percent to 75 percent soybean or spirulina meal substitutions were better than tadpoles fed the fish meal based diets. Comparing the two plant sources, soybean meal promoted faster tadpole growth, faster metamorphic rate and heavier froglets, in addition to being lower in cost compared to the spirulina meal.

Olvera-Novoa, Miguel A. and co-workers. 2004. Effect of use of soybean meal or spirulina meal in artificial diets for bull frogs (Rana catesbeiana) tadpoles. Aquaculture 2004 abstract p447.