CAGE CULTURE OF NILE TILAPIA Oreochromis niloticus L. USING DIFFERENT FEEDING STRATEGIES

Ramjie Y. Odin* and Remedios B. Bolivar
 
Mindanao State University - Maguindanao
Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao, Philippines, 9600
ryo0001@auburn.edu
 

The study was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of using different feeding strategies in the cage culture of Nile Tilapia (O. niloticus).  The effect of different feeding strategies on the growth performance, survival rate, feed conversion ratio (FCR) and a simple cost and return analysis of Nile tilapia after a four-month culture period were determined.  The experimental treatments were: Treatment I - Daily Feeding; Treatment II - Alternate Day Feeding; Treatment III - Delayed Feeding and Control (No Feeding) and were replicated thrice.  The fish were stocked in floating cages at a density of 80 pc/m3.  The initial average body weights of the fish were 0.40, 0.38, 0.38 and 0.42 g for Treatments I, II, III and Control, respectively.  There was no significant difference among the treatments in terms of initial weight.

After 4 months of culture of Nile tilapia in floating cages, Treatment I (121.99 g) and Treatment II (110.69 g) gave the highest final average weight with no significant difference.  On specific growth rate (SGR), Treatment I obtained 4.77% followed by Treatments II, III and Control with 4.75, 3.81 and 3.54%, respectively.  No significant difference was found between Treatments I and II in terms of SGR.  The survival rates among the treatments were also not significantly different.  The FCRs were found to be significantly different among Treatment I (1.41), Treatment II (0.76) and Treatment III (1.82).  Significant differences were observed among treatments on the simple cost and return analysis.  Higher income was revealed in Treatment II.

For the quantity of feeds (kg) used per cage in this experiment, fish in Treatment I consumed 11.21 ± 0.73; Treatment II and III had 4.70 ± 0.47 and 3.07 ± 0.92, respectively. For fish yield (kg) per cage, Treatment I, II, III and IV achieved 7.95 ± 0.22, 6.21 ± 0.73, 1.72 ± 0.62 and 1.20 ± 0.21, respectively.

The results of this study revealed that no significant difference were found between the daily and alternate day feeding in terms of the final average weight, specific growth rate and survival rate of Nile tilapia under cage culture period of 4 months.

Alternate day feeding also showed desirable low feed conversion ratio which make it more profitable for practice in the cage culture of Nile tilapia over 4 months culture period.  The highest net return with almost 50% cost savings was also found in the group which was fed on alternate day.  This feeding strategy is also expected and assumed to reduce organic loading build-up under cage culture area in most lakes.  Thus, alternate day feeding strategy can be considered both cost-effective and environmentally friendly.