Size-dependent effects of daily thermal fluctuations on the growth and size heterogeneity of Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus

• Published in: Journal of fish biology 2010-02, Vol.76 (3), p.669-683
• Main Authors: Azaza, M. S., Legendre, M., Kraiem, M. M., Baras, E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Body Size; Brackish; Cichlids - growth & development; cycling thermal regimes; growth dispersion; optimum temperature; Oreochromis niloticus; Regression Analysis; Temperature
• ISSN: 0022-1112; 1095-8649
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8649.2009.02524.x

The growth of Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus (0·02–20·00 g) was measured when fed to excess during the hours of light, following their exposure to five thermal regimes fluctuating around the thermal optimum for growth (Topt = 30° C) over the diel cycle of day (light, L) and night (dark, N), i.e. 27° C(L):33° C(N), 28·5° C(L):31·5° C(N), 30° C(L):30° C(N), 31·5° C(L):28·5° C(N) and 33° C(L):27° C(N) (two replicates per treatment, six weeks' rearing, growth measurements at weekly intervals). A model constructed with a stepwise multiple‐regression analysis accounted for 87·4% of the variation of the specific growth rate (G, % M day−1) from the variations of wet mass (M), the extent of the thermal fluctuation (FT) and their interactions, i.e. log10G = 1·7686 − 0·2136 log10M + 0·0806 [log 10M× log 10 (1 + FT)] − 0·0394 [log10M× log 10 (1 + FT)]2. Based on this model, the thermal fluctuation that produces the fastest growth ( ,°C) decreases in a curvilinear way, from 5·1° C at 20 mg to c. 0·7° C at 20 g. Thermal regimes that produce the slowest growth also produce the highest size heterogeneity. Functional hypotheses behind the size‐dependent effects of thermal fluctuations are discussed, together with their implications in natural habitats and aquaculture systems with in different contexts of food availability.