Effects of feeding schedule on growth, production and economics of pangasiid catfish (<i>Pangasius hypophthalmus</i>) and silver carp (<i>Hypophthalmichthys molitrix</i>) polyculture

Abstract

An experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of feeding schedule on growth, production and economics of pangasiid catfish (Pangasius hypophthalmus) and silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) polyculture in nine earthen ponds for a period of 135 days. There were three treatments (T) each with three replications. Species composition (1:1) and stocking density (25,000 fish/ha) were same in all treatments. A commercially available pelleted feed was given only for pangasiid catfish with same feeding rate in all treatments but the feeding frequency was different. The feeding rate was 10%, 8%, 7%, 6 %, 5%, 4% which was consecutively adjusted after each fortnightly sampling and 3% for the last 4 weeks of the study period. Feeding frequencies was once a day in T₁, two times a day in T₂ and three times a day in T₃. The average weight gain of pangasiid catfish and silver carp in T₃ (376.69 g and 81.02 g) was significantly higher (P<0.05) than those of T₂ (330.25 g and 58.35 g) and T₁ (261.76 g and 42.89 g). The survival rate was 95.2, 96.0 and 96.8% for pangasiid catfish and 83.2, 85.2 and 86.0% for silver carp in T₁, T₂ and T₃, respectively. The net production of fish in T₃ (5,430.64 kg/ha) was significantly higher (P<0.05) than those of T₂ (4,584.70 kg/ha) and T₁ (3,562.89 kg/ha). Significantly highest net return (Tk. 68,533.54/ha with benefit cost ratio of 1.36) was achieved from T₃ followed by T₂ (Tk. 40,080.56/ha with benefit cost ratio of 1.22) and T₁ (Tk. 13,786.67/ha with benefit cost ratio of 1.08). The present research findings suggest that an increase of feeding frequency has positive effect on growth and production of pangasiid catfish and silver carp.

Keywords: Feeding schedule; Economics; Pangasiid catfish; Silver carp; Polyculture

DOI: 10.3329/jbau.v7i1.4982

J. Bangladesh Agril. Univ. 7(1): 175-181, 2009