Culture of Asian seabass Lates calcarifer (Bloch) in brackishwater tide-fed ponds: growth and condition factor based on length and weight under two feeding systems

Abstract

Culture of Asian seabass Lates calcarifer was conducted successfully for 330 days in brackishwater tide-fed ponds under two different feeding systems with live prey fish in one and minced trash fish in the second in duplicate ponds. Comparison of final growth, length-weight relationship and condition factor based on gravimetric data and survival rate was done at the end of rearing. Though there were no significant differences in growth rate and condition factor (p>0.05), final growth and survival rate showed significant differences (p<0.05) between the two culture systems. The length-weight relationship revealed negative allometric growth patterns with high slope value (b = 2.93) in trash fish fed system than that of fishes fed with live prey (b = 2.87) and both the b values were significantly different from 3 (p<0.05) indicating crowding and/or feeding problems. This study concludes that the trash fish feeding system could help to produce Asian seabass with higher growth, survival and optimum length-weight relationship as well as condition factor, as this system better meets up the feed requirement of the growing fish as compared to live prey feeding system.