Effects of different levels of blood meal in pelleted feeds on tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, production in floating bamboo net-cages

Abstract

This paper reports the preliminary results obtained from rearing Oreochromis (= Tilapia) niloticus fingerlings (3.5 g average initial weight) at a rate of 100/m 3 in floating bamboo net-cages for 120 days to evaluate the effect of varying levels (50%, 25% and 10%) of blood meal in feeds. The pelleted feeds were fed at rates of 10%, 5% and 3% of the fish biomass during the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd plus 4th months of the experiment respectively. The feed containing 10% blood meal was the most efficient in terms of total fish production, average weight gain and average final fish weight.