EFFECT OF WATER FLOW-RATE ON GROWTH, NUTRIENT UTILIZATION, AND SURVIVAL OF AFRICAN CATFISH FINGERLINGS IN A SEMI-CLOSED SYSTEM
Abstract
The circulation of water by gravity in fish tank is a strategy to reduce the cost of energy in pumping. Thus, this study assessed different water flow-rates on growth, nutrient utilization, survival and condition factor of Clarias gariepinus in semi-closed system. It involved 15 PVC tanks of 120 L each stocked with first weight of 5.10 ± 0.06 g and fed with a commercial feed for 8 weeks under varied water flow rates of 0 L/m, 0.12 L/m, 0.24 L/m, 0.48 L/m and 0.96 L/m in triplicates. Weight gain was significantly (p < 0.05) enhanced from 26.63 ± 0.20 g in the 0 L/m to 121.40 ± 0.25 g in the 0.96 L/m. The highest survival rate of 91.67 ± 4.17 % was noticed in the 0.96 L/m. The feed conversion ratio and condition factor followed the same trend with growth responses. While, the dissolved oxygen was significantly increased from 5.56 ± 0.04 mg.L-1 in the 0 L/m to 8.57 ± 0.03 mg.L-1 in the 0.96 L/m. The PCA1 exhibited a positive correlation in growth responses, survival rate and condition factor, while, feed conversion ratio showed a negative correlation. The RDA recorded observed responses of 82 % reliability in the specific growth rate, condition factor and feed conversion ratio. This study established a significant specific growth rate of 5.71 ± 0.01 %.day-1; condition factor of 1.68 ± 0.02 g.cm3-1 and feed conversion ratio of 1.34 ± 0.04 in the 0.96 L/m.
References
Bhatnagar, A., & Devi, P. (2013). Water quality guidelines for the management of pond fish culture. International Journal of Environmental Sciences. 3(6), 1980-2009.
Bower, C.E., & Holm-Hansen, T. (1980). A Salicylate-Hypochlorite method for determining ammonia in seawater. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. 37(5), 794-798. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1139/f80-106
Brendan, M. (2017). Aquaculture and Fish Farming, Library press, New York. 126.
Chapman D & Kimstach V (2006). Selection of water quality variables. In: Chapman, D. (ed.). Water quality assessments. Chapman and Hall, London, 65-122.
Elaigwu, A. M., Jehu, A., & Onimisi, H. U. (2024). Effect of phytase-supplemented diets on growth indices, nutrient digestibility and utilisation, carcass composition, and sustainability of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus). Aquatic Science & Fish Resources. 5(1), 111-121. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21608/asfr.2024.312521.1066
Falayi, B.A. (2009). Tropical feedstuffs composition tables and some biological catalogues in fish and livestock production (A Guide in Nutrition Technology), Matt Printing Press Benin, Nigeria. pp. 77.
Food and Agriculture Organisation. (2022). The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2022. Sustainability in action. Rome. p. 27.
Fulton, T.W. (1904). The rate of growth of fishes. 22nd Annual Report of the Fishery Board of Scotland, Edinburgh. pp. 141-241.
Hepher. B (1988). Nutrrtion of pond fishes. Cambridge Univesity Press, Cambridge. 388pp. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511735455
Oboh, A. (2022). Effect of feeding frequency on some performance indices of the African catfish (Clarias gariepinus, Burchell 1822) juveniles. Fudma Journal of Sciences. 6(3), 119 – 122. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33003/fjs-2022-0603-963
Omitoyin, B. O., & Ajani, E. K. (2020). Effects of flow rate on growth performance and water quality parameters of Clarias gariepinus cultured in flow-through systems. Journal of Aquatic Sciences, 35(2), 1-9.
Taiwo, V. O., & Adebayo, O. T. (2019). Comparative study of growth performance and water quality parameters of Clarias gariepinus cultured in flow-through and static tanks. Journal of Environmental Science and Water Resources. 8(1), 1-8.
Wannigama, N.D., Weerakan, D.E.M., & Muthukumarana, G. (1985). Cage Culture of S. niloticus in Sri-Lanka: Effect of stocking density and dietary crude protein levels on growth. In: C.Y Cho, C.B.Cowey and T. Watanabe (eds)- Fin fish Nutrition in Asia. International Development Research Centre. (IDRC-233E) Ottawa- Canada. P113 - 117.
Winkler, L.W. (1888). Die Bestimmung des im Wasser gelosten Sauerstoffes, Berichte der deutschen chemischen Gesellschaft. 21(2), 2843-2854. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/cber.188802102122
Copyright (c) 2025 FUDMA JOURNAL OF SCIENCES
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
FUDMA Journal of Sciences
