EFFECT OF LIPID LEVEL AND STOCKING DENSITY ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE, SURVIVAL RATE, FEED UTILIZATION AND BODY COMPOSITION OF NILE TILAPIA FRY (OREOCHROMIS NILOTICUS)
REARED IN HAPA

Wafa Elshabrawy1; Eid A.E.1 Amal Elfeky1;

Mervat A.M.Ali1
and Fatma Samir2

1Department of Animal Production and Fish Resources, Faculty of agriculture, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt.

2Department of Fish Nutrition, Central Laboratory for Aquaculture Research, Agriculture Research Center, Giza, Egypt.

Received 5/ 1/ 2020

Accepted 28/ 1/ 2020

ABSTRACT

The present study was conducted over a 120 day period to investigate the effects of lipid level and stocking density on the growth performance and survival of fry Oreochromis niloticus cultured in hapa in earthen pond. Fish with average initial weight 0.4 ± 0.01g were stocked at three different rates 250, 300 and 350 fry/m3 corresponding to (2500, 3000 and 3500 fry/ hapa, three replicate/ treatment). At each density 3 lipid level (6, 8, and 10%). Fish were hand-fed to satiation four times /day (7, 11 am and 2, 5 pm) throughout the experimental period 120 days.

The results showed that final body weight, weight gain and specific growth rate (SGR) were positively affected by lipid level and inversely affected by stocking density and affected by their interaction. Survival rate was significantly affected by stocking densities. The maximum growth was obtained with 8% crude lipid (CL) at density (250 fry /m3) whereas the lowest growth was obtained in 10% CL at high density (350 fry /m3). The present study recommended that the optimum density 250 fry /m3 and lipid level 8% in terms of growth performance and feed utilization under experimental conditions.

Key words:
Lipid Levels, Stocking density, growth performance, feed utilization, body composition, Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).