Effect of Stocking Densities on Growth and Production Performance of Bheda (Nandus nandus) in Pond Aquaculture

Abstract

Thecurrentstudy'sgoalwastolookathowstockingdensitiesaffectedBheda(Nandusnandus) growth and production over the course of a 120-day period. Three treatments were T1 (20,000 fish ha-1), T2 (30,000 fish ha-1), and T3 (40,000 fish ha-1), each with three replicates. Those fishes were fed daily with commercial sinking feed and a live food mixture at 9-3% fish body weight up to harvest-ing. Temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and other water quality indicators were measured every two weeks, along with the growth performance of Bheda fish. T2 had the highest yield of Bheda (3439.08±207.31 kg ha-1), followed by T3 (3422.78±224.42 kg ha-1), and T1 (3136.62±150.00 kg ha-1). The harvesting weight (g), individual weight gain (g), individual percent (%) weight gain (g), SGR (% per day), and survival rate (%) of fish were significantly higher (p lt;0.05) in T1, followed by T2 and T3, respectively, where combined production of fishes was significantly higher at T2 followed by T3 and T1. Net profit and benefit-cost ratio were significantly higher in T1 than T2 and T3. Based on the re-sults of this experiment, it can be concluded that stocking density of Bheda fingerlings at the rate of 20,000 fish ha-1 in T1 showed the highest production performance for profitable pond aquacul-ture. However, further research on the standardisation of stocking density with economic profitabil-ity of this fish at the on-station or on-farm level in ponds may be required before widespread dis-semination of this culture technology to farmers, particularly in Bangladesh and elsewhere.

Keywords

• stocking density
• growth
• production
• bheda
• stocking density
• growth
• production
• bheda