Effect of Pelleted feeds (Floating and Sinking) on Growth and survival of Post Fry Sea Bream, Acanthopagrusberda (Forsskal, 1775)

Abstract

The nutritional efficacy of sea-bream seed Acanthopagrusberda (Forsskal, 1775), was observed intensively cultivated for 5 weeks. Seed of experimental fish were collected from wild by the help of cast net. Collected seed were procured with oxygenated tanks carefully into the aqua-lab. Juveniles were kept in well aerated 60-L-1 glass water treatment tanks (10-1) with their two replicates and fed on different commercial diets i.e. T1-floating feed and T2-sinking feed. Feed were given twice daily after seven hours interval period, according to their total biomass (body weight, 2 %) and later on, the amount of feed was adjusted by their wet body weight in all tanks. After completion of acclimatization period, fries were distributed among treatments having mean initial length and weight (4.5±0.5 cm, 5.84±0.3g) respectively. At the end of experiment, all juveniles were collected and measured total length (cm) and weight (g). Results shows that, the highest weight gain (g) was found in T1, floating feed (17.8±0.2g) as compared to T2, sinking feed (12.6±0.17g), while the ratio of food conversion and growth, also K were absolutely different (P<0.05) among treatments. Survival remained 100% in both treatments. However, physicochemical parameters of water found in an optimum range throughout the experimental period i.e. (temperature; 27 to 28 ◦C), (Dissolve oxygen; 6.8 to 7.3±32 mgL-1), pH (7.3 to 7.5), ammonia (0.067±0.004 mgL-1), NO2-N below (0.006 mgL-1) and salinity (17‰ to 20‰). It is suggested that, 40% protein comprising floating feed is best for obtaining optimum growth in post fry black-fin seabream, Acanthopagrusberda in captivity.