El-Saidy D.M.S. Deyab , Ebtehal El-Sayed M. Hussein

Department of Poultry Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Minufiya University, Shebin El-kom, P.O., 32516, Egypt
Author    Correspondence author
International Journal of Aquaculture, 2015, Vol. 5, No. 12   doi: 10.5376/ija.2015.05.0012
Received: 12 Feb., 2015    Accepted: 25 May, 2015    Published: 08 Jun., 2015

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Deyab and Hussein, 2015, Effects of Different Feeding Rates on Growth Performance and Body Composition of Red Tilapia, Oreochromis mossambiquse x O. niloticus, Fingerlings, International Journal of Aquaculture, Vol.5, No.12 1-7 (doi: 10.5376/ija.2015.05.0012)

In aquaculture feeding rate is an important factor affecting the growth of fish and thus determining the optimal feeding rate is important to the success of any aquaculture operation. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal feeding rate for red  tilapia (Oreochromis sp.). A 12-week feeding trial was conducted to examine the effects of different levels of the feeding rates on the growth performance and body composition of red tilapia, (Oreochromis sp.). Fish of an average initial weight of 0.9±0.01 g were stocked in 12 glass aquaria (80 L each) at a rate of 15 fish per aquarium. All fish were fed the same diets contained 33.8% crude protein at a feeding rate of 1, 3, 5 and 7% of body weight daily. The results revealed that there was a significant differences in growth performance and feed utilization parameters with increasing feeding rates up to 5 % (P < 0.01). The best final body weight (g), specific growth rate (SGR % day ^-1), gain in weight (%), feed conversion ratio (FCR), protein efficiency ratio (PER) and survival rate (%) were recorded with fish fed on feeding rate of 5% body weight daily compared with others. Whole fish moisture and protein contents were not significantly influenced (P > 0.05) by feeding rates. Lipid and ash contents were significantly (P < 0.05) influenced by feeding rates. These findings suggest that feeding rate of 5% of body weight daily can be considered as the optimal feeding rate for red  tilapia fingerlings which significantly enhance fish growth, feed utilization and body composition parameters.

Red tilapia; Feeding rate; Growth performance; Feed utilization