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Effect of Stocking Density on Survival, Growth and Production of Thai Anabas Testudineus (bloch) Fingerlings Under Nursery Ponds Management in Northern Regions of Bangladesh

Shafiqur Rahman
Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute, Freshwater Sub-station, Saidpur, Nilphamari-5310, Bangladesh

Md. Shirajum Monir
Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute, Headquarters, Mymensingh-2201.

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Growth, survival and production performances of Thai Anabas testudineus fingerlings were evaluated for seven weeks in nine nursery ponds having an area of 0.012 ha each with an average depth of 1.0 m. Three stocking densities such as 1 million ha^-1 (T₁-Treatment 1), 1.2 million ha^-1 (T₂- Treatment 2) and 1.4 million ha^-1 (T₃-Treatment 3) were tested with three replications. Fry were fed with commercial nursery feed (36-34% crude protein). The rate of feeding was 14% to 8% of the estimated body weight of fry. The physico-chemical and biological parameters of pond water were within the suitable range for fish culture. Growth in terms of final weight, final length, weight gain, length gain and specific growth rate, and survival of fingerlings was significantly higher in T1 than those obtained from T₂ and T₃. The survival of fish fry was 65.5%, 55.5% and 49% in T₁, T₂ and T₃ respectively. The Food conversion ratio (FCR) values ranged between 1.75 and 3.20 with treatment T₁ resulting the lowest FCR. Higher number of fingerlings was produced in T₃ than those in T₂ and T₁ but the highest net benefits were obtained from T₁ than those from T₂ and T₃. Among the treatments evaluated, 1 million ha^-1 was the best stocking density considering the highest growth, survival, production and net benefits of the fingerlings of Thai A. testudineus in nursery ponds.

Keywords: Anabas testudineus, Stocking density, Fingerling, Growth, Production.

Location: Freshwater Sub-station, Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute, Saidpur, Nilphamari

Start Date: 15-06-2011

End Date: 02-08-2011

Program Area: Animal Health and Management

Commodity: Koi/Climbing

Objectives:

To develop a suitable and economically viable technology for fingerlings production of Thai A. testudineus in nursery rearing system in northern region of Bangladesh.

Methodology:

The present study was carried out at the Freshwater Sub-station, Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute, Saidpur, Nilphamari, located at 25° 46′ 41″ N, 88° 53′ 51″ E of Bangladesh. The experiment was conducted for seven weeks from 15 June to 02 August, 2011 in nine nursery ponds of 0.012 ha with an average depth of 1 meter. Before starting the study, water from the ponds was drained, dried pond bottom was treated with quicklime (CaO) at the rate of 250 kg ha-1 to kill harmful aquatic animals and pathogens. All the ponds were then filled with underground water at a depth of about 1 meter. After five days of liming, the ponds were fertilized with organic manure (2,500 kg ha^-1). After seven days of manuring, the pond water was sprayed with sumitheone 8-10 ml (decimal)-1 to remove harmful insects and predatory zooplankton. After 24 hours of applying sumitheone into the pond water, seven-days-old fry with an average length of 0.83 cm and weight of 0.86 mg were stocked in the experimental ponds. Three densities of fry viz., 1 million ha^-1 (T1), 1.2 million ha^-1 (T2) and 1.4 million ha^-1 (T3) were stocked with three replicates each. The fry were not fed for the first day in order to acclimatize them to the new environment. From the second day of stocking, they were fed twice daily with nursery feed (36% crude protein) for the first 28 days and starter-I feed (34% crude protein) up to 49 days. The rate of feeding was 14% of the estimated body weight of fry for the first two weeks, 12% for the second two weeks, 10% for the third two weeks and 8% for the last week. After stocking, the ponds were manure with organic fertilizer (1,000 kg ha^-1) at fortnight interval. Fingerlings were sampled weekly by seining with a fine-meshed net for the assessment of growth, health condition and feed adjustment. Physico-chemical parameters of pond water viz., temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, transparency and total alkalinity were weekly monitored at intervals-between 09.00 and 10.00 am. Temperature (ºC) and dissolved oxygen (mg l^-1) were determined directly by a digital water quality analyzer (YSI, model 58, USA), pH by a digital pH-meter (Jenway, Model 3020, UK), and transparency (cm) by a Secchi disc and ammonia-nitrogen by a HACH water analysis kit (DR 2000, USA). Total alkalinity was estimated following the standard method. Quantitative and qualitative estimates of plankton in the experimental ponds were also observed weekly. Ten liters water, collected from different locations and depths of each pond were filtered through fine-meshed plankton net (55 μm) to obtain a 100 ml sample. The samples were preserved immediately with 5% buffered formalin in plastic bottles. Plankton density was estimated by using a sub-sampling technique. A Sedgwick-Rafter (S-R) cell was used under a calibrated compound microscope for plankton counting. Plankton cells in 10 randomly chosen squares were counted for quantitative estimation. Thirty randomly selected individuals from each pond were sampled weekly until they attained the fingerling stage. Growth in terms of length and weight, specific growth rate (SGR) and food conservation ratio (FCR) was estimated. SGR and FCR were calculated. The live fingerlings were counted and weighed. Survival (%) and production (number ha^-1) of fingerlings were then estimated and compared among the treatments. The mean values for growth, survival, production, water quality parameters and plankton abundance of different treatments were tested using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by testing of pair-wise differences using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test. Significance was assigned at the 5% level. All statistical analysis was done by using the SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science) version-17.5.

Source of Information: Journal of Experimental Biology and Agricultural Sciences, December - 2013; Volume – 1(6) 465-472

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Thai A. testudineus farming can largely be expanded both in small and commercial scales in the drought and river bank erosion region in northern region of Bangladesh. But the main hindrance of culturing this fish is the unavailability of fingerlings. For the availability of fingerlings of Thai A. testudineus, it is essential to develop an appropriate nursing technique of this species. So far there was not any study regarding the nursing technique of Thai A. testudineus in northern region of Bangladesh. Therefore, the present experiment has been conducted to establish optimal fry stocking density as part of the development of practical and economically viable fingerlings production methodology for Thai A. testudineus in northern Bangladesh.

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