Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine the effects of prawn juveniles and organic carbon source on the water quality and production performance of catfish. The experiment consisted of three treatments in triplicates, i.e. catfish monoculture as the control (treatment A); catfish–prawn co-culture at a prawn density of 20 prawn/m2 (treatment B) and catfish–prawn co-culture at a prawn density of 40 prawn/m2 (treatment C). Catfish was reared in a bamboo cage inside experimental concrete ponds at an initial density of 100/m2. Commercial feed pellets were only offered to the fish. In treatments B and C, organic carbon was added at an estimated C/N ratio of 10 to stimulate biofloc growth as the food source for the prawn juveniles. There was no significant difference in catfish growth among treatments. Dissolved inorganic nitrogen concentrations in B and C were generally lower than in the control. Although significantly affected by the initial stocking density, prawn growth was comparable to that fed with formulated feed. Catfish co-culture with prawn with C organic addition resulted in significantly higher feed nitrogen utilization. Overall results suggest that catfish–prawn co-culture with C organic addition may improve total food conversion ratio, reduce nitrogen waste and generate additional income for catfish farmers.
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Rohmana, D., Surawidjaja, E.H., Sukenda, S. et al. Water quality and production performance of catfish–prawn co-culture with organic carbon source addition. Aquacult Int 23, 267–276 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10499-014-9814-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10499-014-9814-2