Growth and yield of monosex tilapia Oreochromis niloticus in floating cages fed commercial diet supplemented with probiotics in freshwater pond, Sylhet

Abstract

The effect of probiotics mixed with floating feed on the growth and production of tilapia Oreochromis niloticus over a period of 120 days was evaluated. Four treatments were T₁ (super biotic probiotics), T₂ (biozyme probiotics), T₃ (zymetin probiotics) and T₄ (control) with three replicates. Higher growth of tilapia was found in T₃ (272.78 g) followed by T₂ (242.56 g), T₁ (222.76 g) and T₄ (199.35 g). The highest gross yield (8.82 kg m^-3) was achieved in T₃ compared to T₂ (7.78 kg m^-3), T₁ (7.23 kg m^-3) and T₄ (6.35 kg m^-3), which is manifolds higher than the earthen pond yield of tilapia in Bangladesh. The highest net profit (TK. 401.0 m^-3) was obtained in T₃ and the lowest (TK. 119.0 m^-3) was in control (T₄). Results suggest that probiotics can be used in feed to increase fish production.

Bangladesh J. Zool. 45(1): 27-36, 2017