Effect of re-feeding regime under different stocking density of Nile tilapia, O. niloticus on growth performance, nutritional efficiency and fish body composition

Abstract

A factorial rearing trail 4x2 was done to investigate compensatory growth of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in structural size and live weight in response to different deprivation periods and re-feeding. Four treatments were evaluated. The control group was fed to satiation two times a day and one day starvation and re-feeding six days (1/6) throughout the experiment. The other three treatment groups were starved for 2, 3 and 4 days and re-feeding 7, 11 and 14 days, (2/7),(3/11) and (4/14) respectively. O. niloticus were constructed in this experiment with initial primary weights of 21.62 ± 0.08 g. Fish were randomly fed twice daily and starved for four days and were constructed for fourteen days in two replicates to assess the cost of feeding, growth performance, feed use, and survival rate for 84 days in 16 fiberglass tanks. The results showed that the best final body weight and feed conversion ratio in the feeding regime system was 3/11 compared to the control. Feed restriction significantly (P ≤ 0.05) reduced the cost of feed. The lowest feeding cost was obtained by O. niloticus fish starved for three days compared to starving for two days, four days, and control. The cost of feeding was reduced by 30% when the feeding was limited to three days starving and re-fed eleven days compared with those fed six days and starved one day.