Performance of Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus fingerlings in a hyper-intensive recirculating aquaculture system with low water exchange/Rendimiento de juveniles de tilapia del Nilo Oreochromis niloticus en un sistema híperintensivo de recirculación acuícola con mínimo recambio de agua

• Published in: Latin american journal of aquatic research 2013-03, Vol.41 (1), p.150
• Main Authors: Gullian-Klanian, M, Arámburu-Adame, C
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ammonia; Aquaculture; Aquaculture systems; Aquaculture techniques; Dissolved oxygen; Fingerlings; Fish; Fish production; Freshwater fish; Growth rate; Juveniles; Length-weight relationships; Marine fish; Nursery grounds; Oreochromis niloticus; Recirculating systems; Size; Stocking; Stocking density; Survival; Tilapia; Water exchange; Weight
• ISSN: 0718-560X

The aim of this paper was evaluate the performance of Nile tilapia fingerlings (Oreochromis niloticus) raised at hyper intensive stocking density in a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) with minimum water replacing. The experimental system was performed in a single-batch nursery system to obtain 50 g fish size in 60 days. Fish (2.07 ± 0.04 g) were stocked in triplicate at 400 (T1), 500 (T2) and 600 (T3) fish m^sup -3^ (0.84, 1.05, 1.22 kg m^sup -3^). RAS functioned with 12,000 L of recirculating water and 252 L day^sup -1^of water replacing (2.1% daily). The efficiency of the biofilter for removing the total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) was 48 ± 12.5 mg L^sup -1^. Stocking density did not affect significantly the survival (89.5 to 93.6%). The growth rate of T1 (0.96 g day^sup -1^; 5.01% day^sup -1^) and T2 (0.92 g day^sup -1^; 4.95 % day^sup -1^) was significantly higher than T3 (0.83 g day^sup -1^; 4.80% day^sup -1^). The specific growth rate (SGR) of T1 was 41% influenced by temperature. For T2 and T3 the SGR were influenced by the variation of dissolved oxygen (DO) that explained 47 and 44% of the fish weight variation, respectively. The SGR from T3 was also affected by the concentration of ammonia nitrogen (31%). The high stocking density affected the overall size of fish and the size homogeneity, but had no negative effect on the length-weight relationship (L-W). Data support the conclusion that fingerling stocked at 400 and 500 fish m^sup -3^ shows high performance during 9-weeks when the biomass not exceed 37 kg m^sup -3^. At this time fish have reached the desired final nursery weight (50 g) for transfer to grow-out facilities. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]