Growth Performance and Culture Economics of Mud Eel Semi-Intensively Cultured Under Varying Stocking Densities in Rain-fed Earthen Ponds

Abstract

This investigation provides details on the production and culture economics of cuchia (Monopterus cuchia) in semi-intensive aquaculture ponds. The cuchia eel was reared in rainfed earthen fishponds and supplemented with poultry viscera in three different stocking densities of T1 (9880 cuchia/ha), T2 (14820 cuchia/ha) and T3 (19760 cuchia/ha). The results divulged that the physicochemical water quality factors varied significantly in different ponds. Similar was the case with the mean outcomes about the final body weight, net weight gain, specific growth rater (SGR), fish survival rate, and net yield. The final body weight varied significantly from 274.53 ± 1.93 in T3 to 349.40 ± 1.58 in T1, while the SGR difference was recorded from 0.45 ± 0.00 in T3 to 0.58 ± 0.01 in T1. However, the cuchia survival varied between 76.07 ± 0.75 in T3 to 85.14 ± 0.51 in T1 with the means difference of net yield as 5878.40 ± 40.93 from T1 to significantly higher (8251.90 ± 40.09) in T3. The economic indicators revealed that the net benefit and enormously varied from 741570.00 ± 510.26 (T1) to 1231500.00 ± 1559.20 (T3), while the cost-benefit ratio showed encouraging improvements from 0.17 ± 0.14 in T3 to 0.39 ± 0.01 in T1. Overall, lower stocking density yielded the most promising production and economic performance. The outcomes of this study provided valuable insights into the profitable production of eel fish meat.