Growth performance of mixed sex Nile tilapia in cage monoculture and polyculture with African catfish and African carp

Abstract

Cage culture has been proposed as an option to solve the problem of excessive recruitment and stunting in mixed sex Nile tilapia culture. An experiment was set up in a completely randomized design (CRD) for 4 months to assess the growth performance of mixed sex Nile tilapia in monoculture, biculture, and polyculture with African catfish (Clarias gariepinus, Burchell 1822) and African carp (Labeo victorianus, Boulenger 1901) in cages. Treatment 1 (T1) (control) was a 100% monoculture treatment of Nile tilapia, T2 had a 1:1 combination treatment of Nile tilapia and the African catfish, T3 had 1:1 combination treatment of Nile tilapia and African carp, and T4 had a 5:3:2 combination of Nile tilapia, African catfish, and African carp, respectively. The results revealed that there were no significant differences (p > 0.05) in the growth parameters of Nile tilapia when monocultured, bicultured with each of the two species of fish, and when polycultured with both of them. However, there were significant differences in the survival rates (p < 0.05). The final weight (g) achieved were 32.59 ± 8.75, 36.58 ± 7.29, 34.16 ± 7.73, and 32.02 ± 9.00, respectively. The mean weight gain (g) for Nile tilapia monocultured, bicultured with each of them, and when polycultured with both in cages were 25.07 ± 0.62, 29.86 ± 3.04, 25.91 ± 4.98, and 25.05 ± 2.23, respectively. There were significant differences (p < 0.05) in the condition factors of Nile tilapia in the different species combination treatments. Nile tilapia bicultured with African carp had relatively higher growth rates showed isometric growth and a better condition factor than the rest.