Deyab M. S. D. El-Saidy , Ebtehal El-Sayed Hussein

Department of Poultry Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Minufiya University, Shebin El-Kom, P.O.Box 32516, Egypt
Author    Correspondence author
International Journal of Aquaculture, 2015, Vol. 5, No. 3   doi: 10.5376/ija.2015.05.0003
Received: 10 Feb., 2015    Accepted: 26 Mar., 2015    Published: 27 Apr., 2015

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

El-Saidy and Hussein, 2015, Effects of stocking density and water exchange rates on growth performances, production traits, feed utilization and body composition of mono-sex male Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.) cultured in concrete tanks, International Journal of Aquaculture, Vol.5, No.3: 1-13 (doi: 10.5376/ija.2015.05.0003)

A 44-week randomized factorial design 2 x 3 x 2 ( two water exchange rates, three stocking density and two replicates) rearing trial was conducted in concrete tanks with average initial weight and length of 7.5 ± 1.2 g/fish and of 8.9 ± 0.5 cm/fish of mono-sex male Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus , to examine the effects of two water exchange rates and three stocking density on growth performances, production traits, feed utilization and body composition. Twelve concrete tanks 4 m³ each were stocked with either 200, 300 and 400 fish for each tank to give a stocking rate of 50, 75 and 100 fish /m³, respectively and mentioned at 8L/min. or 12 L/min. water exchange rates. The results revealed that, growth performance and feed utilization parameters were significantly (P£ 0.01) the best at the lowest stocking density. No significant differences (P > 0.05) were found between water exchange rates in terms of growth performance, feed utilization and all production traits. The lowest stocking density (50fish/m³) had significantly the best feed utilization parameters. There were no significant differences between it and the stocking density of 75fish/m³. Whole fish body composition % of protein, fat and ash contents were significantly (P £ 0.05) influenced by stocking density but did not influenced by water exchange rates. From the above results it can be concluded that, stocking density of 75 fish /m³ of mono-sex male Nile tilapia reared at either 8L/min or 12L/min. water exchange rates exhibited the highest net profit and would seem to be the most desirable density under this system conditions.

Nile tilapia; Stocking density; Water exchange rates; Growth performances