Evaluation of body performance of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Abstract

Efforts to improve the quality of fish seeds can be done by using quality broodstock which includes having the right body shape. This study aimed to evaluate the body performance of male and female Sultana strain tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) which were to be used in hatchery activities. A total of 35 male and 35 female broodstock were evaluated for body size using a ruler. Measurements of 12 morphological characters: total length (TL), standard length (SL), head length (HL), pre-dorsal length (PrDL), pre-pectoral length (PrPL), pre-pelvic length (PrPeL), pre-pelvic length (PrPeL), anal length (PrAL), anal fin length (AFL), dorsal fin base length (DFL), body height (BH), caudal peduncle height (CPH), and dorsal anal length distance (DAL). The ratio between the character values of SL, HL, PrDL, PrPL, PrPeL, PrAL, AFL, DFL, BH, CPH, DAL, and TL were analyzed descriptively. The results of the analysis showed that the average value of the ratio of length characters (SL/TL, HL/TL, DF, and AFL/TL), height character (BH/TL), and diagonal character (DAL/TL) were higher in the male broodstock than in the female broodstock. On the other hand, other length characters (PrDL/TL, PrPL/TL, PrPeL/TL, PrAL/TL) and height characters (CPH/TL) had the same values in the male and female broodstock. In general, the size of the male broodstock used tended to be larger than the female broodstock.