Effect of stocking density on growth performance and body composition of climbing perch (Anabas testudineus) in biofloc system

Abstract

Stocking density of fish is species specific and is considered as one of the crucial aspects for optimizing feed and water-quality management in biofloc system. The present study was carried out to determine the optimum stocking density of a prime aquaculture species, climbing perch Anabas testudineus in biofloc system. Fish fingerlings with a mean initial weight of 0.80?±?0.02 g were reared in biofloc tanks for 13 weeks under three different stocking densities, 300 (T-300), 450 (T-450), and 600 (T-600) fish m?3 in triplicates, and the fish were fed with a commercial diet at 3% of their body weight. At final harvest, significant differences in growth and body composition were observed among the treatments. T-300 and T-450 showed similar growth pattern (p?>?0.05), while fish in T-600 registered significantly poor growth (p?<?0.05). The fitted models for all the growth variables were quadratic, and daily individual feed intake was linear. Although the regression model for yield was not significant (p?=?0.072), the highest yield (kg m?3) was attained in T-450. Dry matter, protein, and lipid content of fish remained unaffected (p?>?0.05), while significant (p?<?0.05) difference in ash content was observed among the treatments with the highest being found in fish from T-600. These results suggest that at the initial stage of culture the optimum stocking density of climbing perch in biofloc system is 300–450 fish m?3 although higher stocking might be feasible considering periodic water exchange and solid management, a proposition awaits further elucidation.