Unaffordability of commercial feeds to semi-intensive Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus farmers has led to reliance on supplemental feeding and fertilization for nutrition of their fish without a scientific basis. This study compared the growth, survival, condition factor and yield performance of O.niloticus fed on mixed ingredients (MI) and rice bran alone (RB) diets reared in fertilized earthen ponds in small scale farmers’ ponds. The study also determined phytoplankton composition, biomass and abundance in the experimental ponds. Quadruplicate ponds were stocked with O. niloticus and African sharptooth catfish, Clarias gariepinus at a stocking ratio of 1:3. The initial mean weights of O. niloticus and C. gariepinus were 14.62 ± 0.61 and 20.34 ± 1.44 g respectively. The fish were fed on MI and RB diets with protein content of 184.74 and 126.06 g kg−1 respectively for 270 days. The results showed that growth performance, survival rate and condition factor of O.niloticus were not affected by either feeding with MI or RB diet (p > 0.05). Moreover, there were no significant differences obtained in phytoplankton biomass and abundance in O.niloticus ponds fed on the two diets (p > 0.05). Furthermore, feeding O.niloticus either on MI or RB diet did not affect the net and gross fish yields (p > 0.05). The study revealed that the use of either MI or RB diet does not significantly affect the performance of O.niloticus cultured in semi-intensive earthen ponds where natural food organisms are an integral part of the culture system. Rice bran could be used for semi-intensive culture of O.niloticus in fertilized ponds to boost the production based on its availability and low cost.
On-farm fish production experiments were conducted for 240 days to investigate the effect of stocking density on growth, yield and economic benefits of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in monoculture and polyculture with African sharptooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus). Low stocking density (LSD), medium stocking density (MSD) and high stocking density (HSD) of 30 000, 60 000 and 90 000 fish ha À1 respectively, were tested. O. niloticus cultured in polyculture attained significantly higher mean weight gain than those cultured in monoculture. O. niloticus and C. gariepinus raised together in polyculture attained significantly higher net annual yield than O. niloticus cultured alone in monoculture. Profitability analysis using partial enterprise budgets revealed that polyculture is a more profitable system than monoculture. The highest growth, yield and economic benefits were achieved at HSD and MSD than at LSD with no significant difference between HSD and MSD. Results demonstrate that farmers can achieve the highest net yield and economic benefits by culturing O. niloticus and C. gariepinus in polyculture at HSD and MSD, preferably MSD for economic reasons.
This study was conducted to assess the reproductive biology and early breeding behaviour of female Oreochromis niloticus reared in monoculture and polyculture with Clarias gariepinus in earthen ponds for 8 months. Results revealed no significant difference in length at first maturity (L50) between females reared in monoculture and polyculture systems. Similarly, no significant differences were detected in absolute fecundity, relative fecundity, gonado-somatic index and condition factor between the two culture systems. The absolute fecundity was more strongly correlated with total length and body weight than with ovary weight. The study concluded that early breeding of O. niloticus in captivity is not affected by the culture systems used. Therefore, O. niloticus production in either system can be improved only through proper pond management techniques.
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