Effects of feeding frequency on specific growth of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fingerlings in hapa nets in fish ponds at in Kenya

Abstract

Tilapias are mainly freshwater fish, inhabiting shallow streams, ponds, rivers and lakes, and less commonly found in brackish water. O. niloticus is the most commonly farmed and widely spread species due to its fast growth rate, higher fecundity and better flesh quality. The species is native to the Nile drainage from its headwaters in Ethiopia and Kenya to the Nile Delta of Egypt, the Niger drainage, and lakes and streams once historically connected to these drainages. Globally, total farmed tilapia productions are averagely 3.8 million metric tons, way above salmonids and catfishes. Fingerlings of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, were reared at three feeding frequencies (1, 2 and 3times/day) with a control in which fry were not fed in hapa nets at University of Eldoret fish farm`s fish pond for 4-weeks. Fish were fed with 35% protein diet at 5% of fish biomass. There was a significant difference (P<0.05) between feeding frequency of three times daily and other feeding frequencies of one and two times daily with respect to final mean weight, specific growth rate (SGR) and survival. Average daily gain (ADG), feed conversion and feed conversion efficiency were statistically similar for three times` daily feeding frequencies and were higher than once and twice daily feeding frequencies. Feeding frequency of three times daily was the most optimum in terms of growth, survival and feed conversion efficiency of the fish.