Title: The Effect of Two Commercial and On-farm Made Aquafeeds on Growth and Survival Rate of <i>Oreochromis niloticus</i> (Nile Tilapia) Reared in Hapa
Abstract: An experiment was conducted for 12 weeks to determine the effect of two commercial and on-farm made aqua feeds on the growth and survival rate of Oreochromis niloticus reared in 2×4 hapas mounted in a concrete sided pond. A total of 90 fish with stocking rates of 15 fish (average wt 10.5g/fish) per hapa were used, replicated twice. Feeds with 30% crude protein were administered to the fish twice per day at 5% of biomass determined at the previous sampling. Growth of fish was monitored fortnightly. Body weights and lengths were measured after 24 hours of fasting. Results indicated that total body length and specific growth rate increased with advancement of the experimental period, while weight gain/day and length values were almost similar in all the groups. However, all the tested growth parameters favoured those fed on Diet 3 compared to those given Diets 2 and 1 respectively. A similar pattern was equally observed on final mean weights and survival rates, which ranged from: 29.2g and 93% for fish fed Diet 3, 22.9g and 87% for fish fed Diet 2 and 21.6g and 78% for fish given Diet 1, across all treatments. The highest mean daily and cumulative feed intake was observed in a treatment with mean growth of 29.2g/fish. This study has therefore, proved without doubt that Diet 3 had enhanced the overall growth performance and survival rate of Oreochromis niloticus .