Growth performance of tilapia fry (Oreochromisniloticus) at different stocking densities at source of the Nile Fish Farm Jinja

Abstract

In Uganda aquaculture provides a viable option to bridge the increasing fish supply-demand gap from increasing natural fish stock decline. Not only affecting the profitability of an aquaculture venture, stocking density is believed to affect growth rate and survival of fish species stocked. In this study to investigate the growth performance of tilapia fry (Oreochromisniloticus) at different stocking densities at Source of the Nile Fish Farm Jinja, nile tilapia fingerlings with an average weight of 0.03g were stocked in 20×20×1 (m3) nursery hapas at four different stocking densities;1450, 2000, 2500, and 3750 fry/m3 for an experimental period of 21 days. All fish were fed a commercial feed (45% protein) at levels of 20, 18 and 15% body weight in week one, two and three. The impact of stocking density on standard length, body weight, survival, specific growth rate and feed conversion ratios was determined on samples taken weekly for the experimental. The mean final weights of fish were; 518.44±1.095, 699.4±6.59, 627.84±53.43 and 957.55±14.77g in hapas stocked with 1450, 2000, 2500 and 3750 fish/m3, respectively. A negative correlation between stocking density and growth rate was recorded. Survival was lowest with high stocking densities, 83% at 3750 fry/m3.Results demonstrate that increasing the stocking density of Nile tilapia fry beyond 2670 fry/m3 significantly affects the survival and growth of fry (ANOVA).