Abstract
We evaluated the effects of lowering dietary protein levels, in the presence of periphyton substrates, on the performance of Nile tilapia juveniles reared in floating net-cages fixed in an earthen pond. Four wood logs (total surface area of approximately 1 m2) were fixed inside experimental cages as periphyton substrates. Triplicate groups of Nile tilapia (2.37 g average weight) were stocked into the cages (1 m3 each), and fed one of 3 isocaloric (17 MJ kg−1) diets containing 25% (D25, no periphyton), 20% (with periphyton), or 15% crude protein (with periphyton) for 70 days. Tilapia fed the lower protein diets with periphyton performed better (P < 0.05) than those fed the 25% CP control diet. Final fish body composition was not significantly affected by dietary treatments. The diet containing the lowest protein level (D15) with periphyton was the most cost-effective.
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