Studies on fertilization sources with artificial feeds on productivity of earthen ponds stocked with different fish species

Abstract

The present study was carried out at a private fish farm at Tolombat 7 site Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate, Egypt. The study was performed for 140 days during the period from 5 Th July to 27 Th November 2010. The study aimed to investigate the effect of different fertilization and feeding systems on growth performance; feed and Nitrogen utilization; whole body chemical composition; water quality; plankton abundance; some blood parameters and economic evaluation of earthen ponds cultured with different fish species in polyculture system. The experimental ponds were stocked with 4000 Nile tilapia (O. niloticus) fingerlings with an average initial weight of 17.18g; 500 Common carp (C. carpio) fingerlings initial weight of 16.50g; 750 Bouri (Mugil cephalus) fingerlings initial weight of 21.43 g; and 750 Tobara (Liza ramada) fingerlings with initial weight of 15.9 g in ten earthen ponds with dimentions of 21 x 100 m. each i.e. 1/2 fadden. Five treatments with two replicates each, were applied as follows: The 1 st treatment (T1) was fed only on a commercial fish feed (25% protein), where the daily allowance of the fish was calculated as 3 % of fish biomass/day for 6 days a week. The 2 nd treatment (T2) ponds were fed on the same artificial feed and fertilized with poultry manure at a rate of 32.5 kg /pond weekly. The 3 rd treatment (T3) was fed on the artificial feed and fertilized with poultry manure (32.5 kg /pond weekly) and 1 kg urea plus 4 kg triple super phosphate /pond weekly. The 4 th treatment (T4) received the artificial feed and fertilized with 1 kg urea plus 4 kg triple super phosphate/pond weekly. The 5 th treatment (T5) was fertilized by poultry manure 32.5 kg and 1 kg urea plus 4 kg triple super phosphate /pond weekly without artificial feeds. Results revealed that the highest (P<0.05) final weights and length, weight gain, length gain, daily weight gain, specific growth rate, relative growth rate and gross yield were recorded with T3 in all tested fish species compared to the other treatments, while T5 recorded the highest (P<0.05) condition factor in Nile tilapia, Common carp and Tobara and T2 recorded the highest (P<0.05) condition factor in Bouri. The best (lowest) feed conversion ratio was recorded with T4 followed by T3; T1 and T2, respectively, while T5 recorded no results of FCR, thus it received no artificial feed. Nitrogen utilization (N output/ N input) averages were 35.56; 32.18; 33.81; 35.90 and 116.40 for T1; T2; T3; T4 and T5, respectively. The applied treatments showed significant effects on whole fish body composition (protein, ether extracts, ash, NFE and gross body energy contents in all fish species tested. The treatment T3 recorded the highest total phytoplankton counts (org /ml) followed in a decreasing order by T2; T4; T5 and T1, respectively. The same trend was observed with total zooplankton and total plankton counts. The highest (P<0.05) total fish yield per pond was recorded by T3, followed in a significant decreasing order by T 2; T4 ; T1 and T5, respectively. The economical study...

Effect of stocking density in polyculture system on growth performance of cultured Fish and productivity in Earthen Ponds.

“…These results are in partial agreement with the finding of Abdel-Hakim et al (2013) who reported that DM contents in whole tilapia bodies ranged between 30.65 and 27.29%. Regarding the CP contents in tilapia whole bodies results of Table (10) indicate that CP contents of T 1 ; T 2 and T3 were 64.20 and 64.85 and 65.40%, respectively and T 3 showed significantly (P<0.05) higher CP contents in the DM compared to T 2 and T 1 .…”

“…In this contents Abdel-Hakim et al (2013) reported higher values of ash contents in whole bodies of Nile tilapia which ranged between 10.36 and 11.74% and the ash values were significantly affected with type of fertilization with feeding. As presented in Table (10) averages of NFE contents in the DM of Nile tilapia whole bodies for T 1 ; T 2 and T 3 were 2.76; 1.88 and 1.10%, respectively and the statistical evaluation of NFE indicate that T 1 had significantly (P<0.05) the highest NFE records and followed in a significant (P<0.05) decreasing order by T 2 and T 3 , respectively.…”

“…In this respect, Abdel-Hakim et al (2013), reported that CP contents in tilapia whole bodies ranged between 61.81 and 65.40% and significantly affected with type of fertilizer and feeding. Furthermore averages of EE contents ranged between 19.65 and 19.83% with insignificant differences among treatments.…”

“…The results concerning NFE contents in Nile tilapia whole bodies (Table 10) were lower than that reported by El-Kotamy (2008) who showed that NFE contents in whole tilapia bodies ranged between 15.12 and 20.58%. Also Abdel-Hakim et al (2013) reported that NFE contents in whole tilapia bodies ranged between 3.02 and 9.41% and was affected by type of fertilization and feeding. As presented in the same Table averages of GE contents in the DM of tilapia whole bodies ranged between 556.51 and 557.94 kcal/100gm and differences in this trait among the stocking densities tested were insignificant.…”

Effect of fertilization sources with artificial feeding on growth performance, water quality and returns of monosex Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) reared in earthen ponds

“…Results presented in Table (5) are also in agreement with the findings of Eid et al, (2009) who found that final weight, weight gain, specific growth rate, daily weight gain and gross yield of Nile tilapia were significantly higher received feed plus poultry manure plus urea and triple super phosphate compared to the ponds received feed only. In this respect Abdel- Hakim et al (2013) reported that growth performance parameters of Nile tilapia reared in polyculture ponds and the gross yield recorded significantly the highest values in ponds received artificial feed plus poultry manure and chemical fertilizers (urea + triple super phosphate) compared to ponds received feed only or feed plus poultry manure or feed plus inorganic fertilizers.…”