<b>Can a small change in the tilapia’s on-going feeding strategy impair its growth?</b> - doi: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v35i3.18290

Abstract

ABSTRACT. The aim of the present work was to answer the following question: can a small change in the tilapia's on-going feeding strategy impair its growth? In the initial phase of the study, fish were evenly distributed and maintained for two weeks in four tanks. In tanks 1 and 2, the ration was given in three equal meals at 8, 12 and 16h or at 9, 13 and 17h, respectively. In tanks 3 and 4, there was only one daily meal at 9 or 10 o'clock, respectively. In the second 8-week phase, fish from tank 1 were distributed into two groups in ten 100-L tanks: the 8-12-16 group, in which fish were always fed at 8, 12 and 16h; and the 8-12-16/9-13-17 group, in which fish were fed at 8, 12 and 16h in the first four weeks and at 9, 13 and 17h in the last four weeks. Fish from tank 2 were allocated into five 100-L tanks and their mealtimes were maintained unchanged. The same procedures were used in tanks 3 and 4. The delay of one hour in the allowance of the artificial diet has significantly reduced fish survival.Keywords: feeding schedule, circadian rhythm, feeding management, fish culture.Uma pequena alteração na estratégia alimentar em curso da tilápia pode prejudicar seu crescimento?RESUMO. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi responder a seguinte questão: uma pequena alteração na estratégia alimentar em curso da tilápia pode prejudicar seu crescimento? Na fase inicial do estudo, os peixes foram igualmente distribuídos e mantidos por duas semanas em quatro tanques. Nos tanques nº 1 e 2, a ração foi fornecida aos peixes em três refeições iguais às 8, 12 e 16h ou às 9, 13 e 17h, respectivamente. Nos tanques nº 3 e 4, havia apenas uma refeição diária às 9 ou 10h, respectivamente. Na segunda fase (8 semanas), os peixes do tanque nº 1 foram distribuídos em dez tanques de 100 L em dois grupos: o grupo 8-12-16, os peixes foram sempre alimentados às 8, 12 e 16h; e o grupo 8-12-16/9-13-17, os peixes foram alimentados às 8, 12 e 16h, nas primeiras quatro semanas, e às 9, 13 e 17h, nas quatro últimas semanas. Os peixes do tanque nº 2 foram distribuídos em cinco tanques de 100 L e suas refeições foram mantidas inalteradas. Os mesmos procedimentos foram utilizados nos tanques nº 3 e 4. O atraso de 1 h no fornecimento de ração reduziu significativamente a sobrevivência dos peixes.Palavras-chave: horário alimentar, ritmo circadiano, manejo alimentar, piscicultura.

Laboratory and field investigations on the effect of scheduled meal timings on growth performance and nutrient retention in an Indian major carp,Cirrhinus mrigala(Ham) fingerlings: Effect on nitrogen retention and excretion of metabolites

“…These results clearly indicate that fish growth is also significantly and positively correlated with the trophic status of the ponds. These results are similar to those obtained by many other workers (See: Garg & Bhatnagar, , ; Caldini et al., for references).…”

“…(), Caldini et al. () and Mattos, Filho, Barreto et al.,; Mattos, Filho, Santos et al.,(). It may be concluded that investigations on meal timings are important to obtain better growth performance.…”

“…Caldini et al. () also reported that even a minor change in a previously established feeding strategy, specifically the daily mealtimes, can negatively affect growth performance in tilapia. It has been reported that if food availability is restricted daily to one or another fraction (e.g., 1 or 4 hr) of the daily routine such as part of the light span versus part of the dark span for a nocturnally active fish species like the Indian catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis (Garg & Sundararaj, ; Sundararaj, Nath & Halberg, ) or the evening or morning for a diurnally active animals such as carps, a number of circadian rhythms are shifted.…”

“…Control group was fed every time (at 0.5%) the feed was given to the other six experimental groups. The fish were hand fed and given a single meal only as has been done by many other researchers (Caldini et al,2013;Costa, Serrano, S anchez-V azquez & Olmeda, 2016;L opez-Olmeda, L opez-Garc ıa et al, 2012;Oliveira et al, 2013;Vera et al, 2007) at the fixed time interval and fed at 3 per cent BW on a diet containing 35% protein of plant origin (see Table 2 for ingredients and proximate composition) for the whole duration of 90 days.…”

“…The existence of daily feeding rhythms with an active diurnal or nocturnal behaviour has been documented in a number of fish species (Boerrigter, van den Bos, van de Vis, Spanings & Flik, ; Figueiredo‐Silva, Corraze, Sanchez‐Gurmaches, Gutiérrez & Valente, ; Kitagawa et al., ; López‐Olmeda, López‐García et al., ; Mattos, Filho, Santos et al.,; Oliveira et al., ). A number of studies have demonstrated that feeding time affects growth performance, food conversion efficiency (Boerrigter et al., ; Bolliet, Jarry & Boujard, ; Caldini, Pereira, Rebouças & do Carmo e Sá, ; Guillén, Moyano & Yúfera, ; Kitagawa et al., ; Mattos, Filho, Santos et al., ) and even body composition (Guevara et al., ; Nocskc‐Hallin, Spieler, Parker & Suttle, ). Since in the natural environment, food is hardly constantly available, and is usually restricted to a particular time when its availability is highest.…”