Extensive Net Cage Culture of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Fingerlings in Nutrient-enriched Pond

Abstract

To investigate the potential of extensive net cage culture for Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fingerlings, an experiment was conducted in net cages suspended in a fertilized pond. Mixed-sex population of Nile tilapia with an average initial body weight of 0.065 g was used to stock in experimental cages. Four treatments; non added-substrate without supplemental feeding (NSNF), non added-substrate with supplemental feeding (NSAF), added-substrate without supplemental feeding (ASNF), and added-substrate with supplemental feeding (ASAF) were tested. The results indicated that addition of substrates which gave an additional submerged surface area of approximately equal to the total cage surface area did not show significant effect on the growth (p > 0.05). The fish gross yield obtained from non added-substrate cages without supplemental feeding was 1.22 kg/m 3 for a 56-day period.