Journal of Aquaculture Research & Development

Abstrait

Growth Performance and Survivability of Gymnarchus niloticus (Cuvier, 1892) Juveniles Fed Both Live and Formulated Diets in Earthen Ponds

Adebayo IA*, Obe BW, Jegede T

A seven month feeding trial was conducted to establish the growth performance and survivability of Gymnarchus niloticus juveniles fed with live and formulated diets in earthen ponds under semi –intensive culture system. Four earthen ponds (10 m × 10 m × 2 m /each) arranged in two treatments (T1 and T2 ) at two ponds/treatment were stocked with six hundred and thirty (630) Gymnarchus niloticus juveniles at an average of 150 fish/pond with initial mean weight of 10 g/fish. Fish in T1 were fed with young tilapia fish Oreochromis niloticus and live maggots while fish in T2 were fed with locally formulated diets. Using the same feeding strategy of monthly adjusted ration based on fish growth, survivability and stocking density, at the end of the feeding trial, results indicated that the total number of fish harvested in T1 was higher (208 pieces ) with higher final mean weight of 0.53 kg/fish compared to T2 (158 pieces, 0.22 kg) respectively. The higher mortality and poor growth recorded in T2 (157 pieces, 0.22 kg/fish) respectively indicated poor feed utilization as reflected on the total biomass of fish. The negative gross profit margin recorded in T2 (N -68,840.00) suggested that it may not be profitable raising Gymnarchus niloticus to grow –out on formulated diets.