Relationship between dietary protein source and feeding frequency during feeding Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.) cultured in concrete tanks

• Published in: Journal of applied aquaculture 2008, Vol.20 (3), p.200-212
• Main Authors: Gaber, Magdy M.A, Hanafy, Mohamed A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: animal growth; aquaculture tanks; body composition; body weight; Brackish; concrete; dietary protein; experimental diets; feeding frequency; fish culture; fish feeding; fish meal; growth; intensive culture; Nile tilapia; Oreochromis niloticus; protein sources; soybean meal; tilapia (common name)
• ISSN: 1045-4438; 1545-0805
• DOI: 10.1080/10454430802329721

A 24-week feeding trial was conducted in concrete tanks with Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.) with an average initial weight and length of 50.87 ± 6.03 g and 14.4 ± 0.45 cm, respectively, to examine the effect of two protein sources and two feeding frequencies on growth performance, production traits, and body composition. Twelve 4 m3 concrete tanks (2 × 2 × 1.25 m, long, width, and height) were each stocked with 100 fish and fed diets containing either fish meal protein or soybean meal protein at two feeding frequency of two times daily or four times daily (2 × 2 × 3 factorial experiment). The results revealed that there was no significant effect of dietary protein sources on growth rate, whereas there was a significant increase in growth rate with increasing feeding frequency (P < 0.05). The same trend was also observed for mean body weight (g), production rate (kg/m3), specific growth rate (SGR % day−1). The best final mean body weight (g), specific growth rate (SGR % day−1), and production rate (kg/m3) were recorded in groups of fish fed with feeding frequency four times daily. Whole fish moisture, protein, fat, and ash contents were significantly influenced (P ≤ 0.05) by protein sources and feeding frequency, except protein not influenced with feeding frequency.