Culture of Florida red tilapia in marine cages: the effect of stocking density and dietary protein on growth

• Published in: Aquaculture Vol. 90; no. 2; pp. 123 - 134
• Main Authors: Watanabe, Wade O., Clark, John H., Dunham, Jason B., Wicklund, Robert I., Olla, Bori L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.01.1990; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: ALIMENTACION DE PECES; ALIMENTATION DES POISSONS; Animal aquaculture; Animal productions; Biological and medical sciences; Brackish; CAGE A POISSON; CARGA GANADERA; CRECIMIENTO; CROISSANCE; FISH CAGES; FISH FEEDING; Freshwater; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; GROWTH; JAULAS PARA PECES; Marine; Oreochromis; Pisciculture; PROTEINAS; PROTEINE; PROTEINS; STOCKING DENSITY; TAUX DE CHARGE; TILAPIA; Vertebrate aquaculture; ASW, USA, Florida; Bahamas, Exuma Cays; Marine environment; Vertebrata; Floating cage; Growth; Pisces; Pisciculture; Hybrid; Density dependence
• ISSN: 0044-8486; 1873-5622
• DOI: 10.1016/0044-8486(90)90336-L

Growth survival and feed conversion were studied in juvenile, monosex male Florida red tilapia (8.78 g average wt.) held in sea cages on Great Exuma, Bahamas. Twenty-four floating cages (1 m 3) were anchored in a sea pass and stocked at densities of 100, 200, and 300/m 3 and fed 84 days on commercially prepared diets containing 28 or 32% protein. Final mean weights were higher for fish fed the diet with 28% protein (average=176.8 g) than those fed at 32% protein (average=166.4 g), under all densities. Final biomass densities increased with increasing stocking density (range=16.1–52.2 kg/m 3) and were higher for fish fed the 28% protein diet than those fed the 32% protein diet under all densities. Daily weight gain (average=1.94 g/day), specific growth rate (average=3.54%/day), and survival (average=97.9%) were higher and feed conversion ratios (average=1.88) lower for fish fed the 28% protein diet than for those fed the 32% protein diet under all densities. No significant effects of stocking density on these parameters were observed. A significant effect of stocking density on final size variation was evident, with greater coefficients of variation of body weights and lengths among fish reared at a density of 100/m 3 (average=26.0%; 8.51%) than among those reared at higher densities (average=20.8%; 6.87%). In-cage dissolved oxygen fell to <3 ppm during the study due to declining ambient levels, suggesting that higher biomass densities are attainable, given higher ambient dissolved oxygen.