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Assessment of growth performance of Clarias gariepinus fingerlings from two culture syesems
Abstract
Assessment of growth performance of Clarias gariepinus fingerlings from two culture media was conducted at the Federal College of Agriculture, Ishiagu Ebonyi State Nigeria fish farm between October 2013 and January, 2014. Five concrete tanks, each 11.31m2 and a stagnant earthen pond 36m2 were each stocked with Clarias gariepinus fingerlings mean weight 7.29 + 0.22g at 20fish/m2 that is, 270 and 720 fish for concrete tank and earthen pond respectively. The fish were fed at 5% body weight for 91 days with pelleted floating commercial fish feed. Water in concrete tanks was changed two times per week while that in earthen pond was topped at intervals. The water parameters were monitored and test carried out with water diagnostic kits at the beginning and randomly during the production to determine the quality of the water. The results of the growth parameters were significant (P<0.05). Results from earthen pond significantly differed from concrete tanks. There was a 48.12% improvement in the earthen pond over the least mean weight gain from tank 2. Tank 3 significantly differed from that of the earthen pond in the daily mean weight gain. The gross profit margin per fish was =N=100.07 in the earthen pond when compared with the lower profit margin in concrete tank 5 with =N=1.40. The use of earthen pond in the culture of Clarias gariepinus where ever soil is not a hindrance (since it looks like the fish natural environment) is therefore recommended.
Keywords: Growth, Clarias gariepinus and culture systems