Sinking and floating feeds formulations on growth of mono-sex tilapia (Linnaeus, 1758): A comparative study

Abstract

A 95 days experiment was conducted on different types of sinking and floating feeds formulations and their effect on growth of Monosex Tilapia at Rajshahi University, Bangladesh. Average 3.25±0.03g weighted fingerlings were stocked at the rate of 200 fish/decimal under four treatments. Three treatments were supplied with low cost prepared feed and other treatment (T1) with commercially available fish feed which contains 34.53% crude protein. Fishes were fed 30% of their body weight for the first 30 days, then gradually decreased to 5%. The water quality parameters were found to be suitable range for their proper growth. Significant (P<0.05) difference was found for per hectare gross production and net profit (7247.47±9.63d kgha-1 and $3253.26±8.33d, 6288.42±8.98c kgha-1 and $3257.81±9.31c, 5355.85±6.98b kgha-1 and $2567.73±5.87b and 5064.88±6.65a kgha-1 and $2556.2±4.88a in T1, T2, T3, and T4, respectively). It was revealed that a significantly (P<0.05) maximum net profit (USD/ha) 3257.81±9.31 was obtained with T2 due to low cost prepared feed. T2 was more profitable or Grade 1, subsequently T4 was grade 2, T3 was grade 3, and T1 was grade 4 based on the cost benefit analysis. Thus, the prepared feed showed better performance with monosex tilapia in comparison to the commercial fish feed.