CAGE CULTURE OF TILAPIA IN FRESH AND BRACKISH WATER RESOURCES
Abstract
Intensive culture systems of tilapia such as cage culture are recently developed because of limitations of water resources. In Iran, studies about tilapia were started in National Research Center of Saline Water Aquatics from November 2008 and some different culture systems are surveyed. Investigation about cage culture of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus was performed in fresh and brackish water with stocking densities 25, 50, 75, 100, 125 and 150 fish/m3. Stocking densities 75-125 fish/ m3 were appropriate especially in fish reared in brackish water cages.
Tilapia culture has significantly developed in recent decades around the world. It is produced in more than 135 countries (FAO, 2014).
Studies about tilapia have started in Iran from 2008. Some culture systems such as earthponds, tanks, aquaponics and greenhouse bioflock systems are investigated for tilapia culture in National Research Center of Saline Water Aquatics, Bafq, Iran (Rajabipour, 2012 & 2015, Sarsangi, 2012, Mashaii, 2017).
Investigation about cage culture of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus was performed in two culture periods of 2012 and 2014 in fresh and brackish water conditions of Iran for the first time.
Stocking densities of fish in the cages were 25, 50, 75, 100, 125 and 150 fish/m3. 100g fish stocked reached 272-331 g during 80 days in the first study. However, 50g fish stocked reached 329-450 g during 145 days in the second study. Results of cage culture of tilapia in fresh and brackish water conditions showed ranges of FCR: 1.56-3.72 and 1.08-1.87, DGR: 1.63-2.91 and 2.14-2.92 g/day, SGR: 0.63-1.12 and 1.29-1.54, production: 5.98-38 and 7.17-41.6 kg/m3, respectively. Stocking densities 75-125 fish/ m3 were appropriate especially in fish reared in brackish water cages.