Abstract
An experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of feeding schedule on growth, production and economics of pangasiid catfish (Pangasius hypophthalmus) and silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) polyculture in nine earthen ponds for a period of 135 days. There were three treatments (T) each with three replications. Species composition (1:1) and stocking density (25,000 fish/ha) were same in all treatments. A commercially available pelleted feed was given only for pangasiid catfish with same feeding rate in all treatments but the feeding frequency was different. The feeding rate was 10%, 8%, 7%, 6 %, 5%, 4% which was consecutively adjusted after each fortnightly sampling and 3% for the last 4 weeks of the study period. Feeding frequencies was once a day in T1, two times a day in T2 and three times a day in T3. The average weight gain of pangasiid catfish and silver carp in T3 (376.69 g and 81.02 g) was significantly higher (P<0.05) than those of T2 (330.25 g and 58.35 g) and T1 (261.76 g and 42.89 g). The survival rate was 95.2, 96.0 and 96.8% for pangasiid catfish and 83.2, 85.2 and 86.0% for silver carp in T1, T2 and T3, respectively. The net production of fish in T3 (5,430.64 kg/ha) was significantly higher (P<0.05) than those of T2 (4,584.70 kg/ha) and T1 (3,562.89 kg/ha). Significantly highest net return (Tk. 68,533.54/ha with benefit cost ratio of 1.36) was achieved from T3 followed by T2 (Tk. 40,080.56/ha with benefit cost ratio of 1.22) and T1 (Tk. 13,786.67/ha with benefit cost ratio of 1.08). The present research findings suggest that an increase of feeding frequency has positive effect on growth and production of pangasiid catfish and silver carp. Keywords: Feeding schedule; Economics; Pangasiid catfish; Silver carp; Polyculture DOI: 10.3329/jbau.v7i1.4982 J. Bangladesh Agril. Univ. 7(1): 175-181, 2009
Highlights
In aquaculture, diet is often considered as the single largest cost item and can represent over 50% of the operating cost in intensive aquaculture (El- Sayed, 1999)
Information on the optimum feeding regimes/schedules of cultured fish is important in achieving efficient production and to ensure best feed conversion ratio (FCR) and weight gain of cultured organism
These nutrients favour excessive production of phytoplankton in pond water that can support additional number of planktivorous fishes without further feed or management cost. They remain unutilized or less utilized and form algal blooms which in turn cause many unexpected problems such as decline in dissolved oxygen, reduced fish growth and off-flavour in pangasiid catfish flesh. Such problem in monoculture of pangasiid catfish could be avoided by using a polyculture approach
Summary
Diet is often considered as the single largest cost item and can represent over 50% of the operating cost in intensive aquaculture (El- Sayed, 1999). Mean weight gains of pangasiid catfish and silver carp were 261.76 g and 42.89 g in T1, 330.25 g and 58.35 g in T2 and 376.69 g and 81.02 g in T3 respectively. SGR (% per day) value of pangasiid catfish and silver carp were 2.46 and 0.86 in T1, 2.62 and 1.03 in T2 and 2.71 and 1.23 in T3 and there was a significant difference (P
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