International Journal of Aquaculture 2015, Vol.5, No.34, 1-7
1
Research Article
Open Access
The Growth Performance of Nile Tilapia in Earthen Ponds Located at Different
Altitudes of Toke Kutaye Woreda, Ethiopia
Dereje D
1
., Prabha L.D
1
, Sreenivasa V
1
., Abebe G
2
1 Department of Biology, Ambo University, Ambo, Ethiopia
2 Department of Zoological sciences, Addis Ababa University
Corresponding author email:
International Journal of Aquaculture, 2015, Vol.5, No.34 doi:
Received: 09 Oct., 2015
Accepted: 24 Nov., 2015
Published: 25 Dec., 2015
Copyright © 2015
Dereje et al., This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits
unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Preferred citation for this article
:
Dereje D., Devi L.P., Sreenivasa V., and Abebe G, 2015, The growth performance of Nile Tilapia in earthen ponds located at different altitudes of Toke
Kutaye Woreda, Ethiopia, International Journal of Aquaculture, 5(34): 1-7 (doi:
Abstract
The research was conducted to investigate the growth performance of
Oreochromis niloticus
fingerlings and plankton
production in earthen ponds located at 2,500 msl, 2,100 msl and 1,710 msl in the west shoa zone, Ethiopia. The stocking density of
each pond was 2/m
2
. The initial average length and weight of the fingerlings were 5±0.03 cm and 5.7±0.02 gm, respectively. The
study has been conducted for a period of 120 days (October 2011-February 2012). Before stocking, the ponds were treated with
quicklime (0.05 kg/m
2
) and fertilized with cow manure (0.1 kg/m
2
/week). Supplementary feed (wheat bran and nuog cake)was
provided at the rate 3 % of body weight throughout the growing period. Growth measurements were recorded at 15 days interval.
The results showed that the final weight of
O. niloticus
was 18.2±0.02, 52.4±0.97 and 63.7±0.50 g at the altitude of 2,500 msl, 2,100
msl and 1,710 msl, respectively. The average daily body weight gain was 0.2±0.00, 0.7±0.05 and 0.8±0.04 gm in 2,500 msl, 2,100
msl and 1,710 msl, respectively. Survival rate was higher at the altitude of 1,710 msl. Moreover, specific growth rate, average feed
conversion ratio, condition of fish, plankton abundance and distribution were significantly (P<0.05) varied in the three altitude
ponds.
Keywords
Altitude; Growth performance; Nile tilapia; Plankton
1 Introduction
Fish production is very important not only as a source
of protein but it ensures food security, employment
and income for many people in developing countries
(Sheikh and Sheikh, 2004). Aquaculture is carried out
not only for increasing the availability of fish for food
but also to conserve the natural stock and thereby
protect the biodiversity. Pond culture is the most
widespread type of aquaculture in Africa today. In
Ethiopia with a large number of lakes and rivers has
more diversified fish fauna (Abebe Getahun, 2002).
However,
Oreochromis niloticus
is the commercially
important and cultivable species in the country
(Gashw and Zenebe Tedesse, 2008; Zenebe Tedesse,
2010). Fish growth parameters in terms of weight
gain, feeding rate and feeding efficiency show an
increasing trend with the increase in water
temperature. Below an optimum temperature, fish
stop feeding and faces stress condition, fungal
infection and high mortality (Britz et al., 1997). The
growth of tilapia depends upon the stocking density,
feed quality, energy content of the diet, physiological
status, reproductive state, and environmental factors
such as water temperature and pH (Lovell, 1989; Ali,
1993).
Animal manures are used in fish ponds as a source of
soluble phosphorus, nitrogen and carbon to maximize
the algal growth and natural food production (Ansa
and Jiya, 2002). The type of manure input and fish
yield are directly related with each other (Garg and
Bhatnagar, 1999; Yadava and Garg 1992). Ponds
manured with cattle dung show higher production by
encouraging plankton than supplementary feed since
small tilapia filter significantly more phytoplankton
than larger individuals. Manuring in earthen ponds is
found to be the efficient tool for maintaining water
quality due to higher assimilation capacity and
plankton population, which enhances fish growth and
benefit the farmer economically to reduce 50 % cost
