Performance of tire track eel (Mastacembelus favus Hora, 1924) fry reared at different stocking densities in composite tanks
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Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the rearing performance of Mastacembelus favus fry under three different stocking densities: 50, 75, and 100 individuals per cubic meter (ind. m⁻³). The experiment was conducted over a period of 180 days, from September 2022 to March 2023, using 0.5 m³ composite tanks in a completely randomised design with three replicates per treatment. The yolk sac-exhausted fry (1.08 g and 6.54 cm) were reared under the trial stocking densities and fed commercial pellet feed throughout the rearing period. A stocking density of 100 ind m⁻³ had a significantly adverse effect on most of the measured performance parameters, including mean weight, mean length, daily weight gain, daily length gain, survival rate, feed conversion ratio, and productivity (p<0.05). While most performance indicators did not differ significantly between the 50 and 75 ind m⁻³ treatments (p>0.05), productivity at 75 ind m⁻³ was significantly higher than at 50 ind m⁻³ (p<0.05). These findings suggest that a stocking density of 75 ind m⁻³ was optimal for rearing M. favus fry under the study conditions.
Keywords: Environmental sustainability, Growth, Productivity, Survival rate, Vietnam
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