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Influence of pond fertilization and feeding rate on growth performance, economic returns and water quality in a small‐scale cage‐cum‐pond integrated system for production of Nile tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus L.)
Author(s) -
Waidbacher Herwig,
Liti David M,
Fungomeli Maria,
Mbaluka Raphael K,
Munguti Jonathan M,
Straif Michael
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
aquaculture research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.646
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1365-2109
pISSN - 1355-557X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2109.2006.01467.x
Subject(s) - nile tilapia , oreochromis , human fertilization , biology , zoology , fishery , cage , aquaculture , water quality , body weight , fish farming , tilapia , fish <actinopterygii> , ecology , agronomy , mathematics , combinatorics , endocrinology
The effects of pond fertilization and feeding rate on growth, economic returns and water quality were investigated to develop a low‐cost cage‐cum‐pond integrated system for production of Oreochromis niloticus (L.). Hand‐sexed male fingerlings averaging 19±0.39 and 32±0.69 g were stocked in cages and open ponds at 150 fish cage −1 and 2 fish m −2 respectively. Fish were cultured for 114 days in five triplicate treatments. Cages were installed into ponds and caged fish were fed a 24% protein diet at 3% (T1) and 6% (T2) body weight day −1 (BWD) without pond fertilization, and 6% BWD with pond fertilization (T3). The open water in the fourth treatment (T4) was not stocked but contained caged fish, which were fed 6% BWD for the first 57 days followed by 3% BWD for the remaining period. Ponds in the control (T5) had no cages and were neither fertilized nor open‐pond fish fed. Feeding rate and pond fertilization significantly ( P <0.05) affected fish growth, profitability and water quality among treatments. Fish growth, feed utilization, fish yield, water quality and profits were significantly ( P <0.05) better in T3 than the other treatments. It was concluded that fish production and economic returns were optimized at 6% BWD in fertilized ponds.