Qusay Hamid Al-Hamadany*(1), Abd Alkareem Yesser (1), Amir Abbas Mohamed(1) and Kadhim Hassan Younis (1)
(1).Dep.of Marine vertebrates, Marine Science Center, University of Basrah, Basrah, Iraq.
(*Corresponding author: Qusay Al-Hamadany E-Mail:qusayhamid@yahoo.com).
Received: 18/11/2022 Accepted: 11/01/2023
Abstract:
To determine the effects of feeding rate on the growth performance of Oreochromis niloticus, we conducted a 60-day experiment. We designed four feeding rates (1%, 3%, 5% and 7% bw/day). In this experiment, fish were distributed in 12 plastic tanks of 16 L capacity and average weight (1.16 ± 14.30) g, and fish were fed a diet containing 30.50% protein. The codes (T1, T2, T3, and T4) were given for feeding rates (1%, 3%, 5% and 7%), respectively. The results of the current study showed significant differences (P < 0.05) in the final weight, weight gain, specific and daily growth rate at different feeding levels, where the final weight rates were 19.71, 32.01, 29.71, 29.12 grams in feeding levels 1%, 3%, 5 %, 7% of body weight, respectively, and it was observed that the best growth rate was in the T2 treatment with a feeding rate of 3% and it was 16.23 grams, and the best food conversion rate was 2.16 and that was in the T2 treatment. Statistical analysis showed significant differences (P < 0.05) in feed conversion rates among the four feeding levels.
Key words: feeding rates, tilapia fish, plastic ponds, growth, food conversion.
Full paper in Arabic: pdf