Abstract
The main objectives of this study were to approximate the maximum yield and evaluate size dispersion of stocker size largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides reared in a semi-closed recirculating system for 60 days. Fingerlings with an average body weight of 36.7 g were utilized for the study. An experimental system consisting of 18 square plastic tanks (165 L) equipped with a radial flow settler, a sump, a moving bed filter, a centrifugal pump, a rapid sand filter, a down-flow oxygen saturator and a UV sterilizer was utilized for the trial. The system was operated semi-closed, accounting for a daily exchange rate of 30–50% of total system water volume. Experimental stocking densities were 4.5, 9.1, 18.8, 36.5, 54.6 and 73 kg m−3 with three replicates per treatment. At the end of the experimental trial, largemouth bass showed acceptable feed conversion (1.00–1.48), specific growth rate (1.16–1.45% day−1) and survival rate (81.8–96.6%) in all treatments, displaying the highest performance at an initial stocking density range of 18–36 kg m−3. Based on a piecewise regression model with breakpoint analysis, maximum yield of largemouth bass fingerlings should not exceed 70 kg m−3. As stocking density increased, relatively more underweight fingerlings were produced with a higher uniformity of fatness.
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