Effect of stocking density on shooter formation, growth and survival of Asian seabass Lates calcarifer (Bloch, 1790) during nursery rearing

H. G. Solanki; M. A. K. Sumara; J. G. Vanza; M. Kailasam; P. Mahalakshmi; Prem Kumar; N. C. Ujjania

doi:10.21077/ijf.2023.70.4.135761-17

Authors

H. G. Solanki
M. A. K. Sumara
J. G. Vanza
M. Kailasam
P. Mahalakshmi
Prem Kumar
N. C. Ujjania Veer Narmad South Gujarat University

https://doi.org/10.21077/ijf.2023.70.4.135761-17

Keywords:

Shooter formation, Growth, Seabass, stocking density and nursery rearing

Abstract

Seabass Lates calcarifer is an important brackishwater fish, which thrives and farmed in
fresh and saline water environment. Differential growth of this species during larval and
nursery rearing phases leads to the formation of shooters, which reduces overall survival due
to cannibalism. Therefore, the present experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of
stocking density on shooter formation, growth and survival of seabass. Hatchery produced
seabass seed (total mean length 1.76±0.39 cm; mean weight 0.132±0.10 g) were stocked in
net cage hapa (2x1x1 m) installed in brackishwater pond, at four different stocking densities,
viz., T1 (800 nos.), T2 (850 nos.), T3 (900 nos.) and T4 (950 nos.) in triplicates. During the
45 days of nursery raising, fishes were fed with formulated nursery feed (crude protein: 42%
and lipid 8%) at 5 to 8% of body weight three times a day. Initially, the fishes were manually
graded on 3rd day and later on weekly basis and transferred to separate hapa. Total number
of shooters formed during grading periods (S1, S2, S3, S4 and S5) were counted. It was
observed that though maximum shooters were obtained from treatment T1 and minimum
in treatment T3, the shooter formation among different treatments were not significantly
different. The maximum numbers of shooters were obtained during the period from 9 to
21 days of rearing in nurseries in all the treatments. A survival of 60% was recorded during
the present study. Based on the results of this study, it is suggested to maintain stocking
densities of 400-425 m-2 for nursery rearing in hapa. Also, the rearing period from 9 to 21
days is significantly critical for ensuring good survival rate.

Keywords:
Cannibalism, Differential growth, Formulated feed, Nursery feed, Shooters, Stocking density, Survival rate

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