Suitable Stocking Density Ensures Best Production and Economic Returns in Floating Cage Aquaculture System
Naznin Nahar
Department of Fisheries, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi-6205, Bangladesh.
Md. Istiaque Hossain
Department of Fisheries, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi-6205, Bangladesh.
Md. Mizanur Rahman
Department of Fisheries, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi-6205, Bangladesh.
Probin Kumar Dey
Department of Fisheries, University of Chittagong, Chittagong 4331, Bangladesh.
M. Shahanul Islam *
Faculty of Food Engineering and Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, China.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The striped dwarf catfish Mystus cavasius being a least concern small indigenous fish it is necessary to protect the species from extinction in the near future. An experiment on production and economic feasibility of Mystus cavasius in cage was conducted for a period of six months from March to August 2020 in beel hilla at Naogaon district of Bangladesh. The study was carried out in nine cages (rectangular 8x5x2 feet size) under three treatments namely T1, T2 and T3 performed with the stocking densities of 46 fry m-2, 92 fry m-2 and 137 fry m-2 and designed each with three replications. The fish was fed with commercial pellet feed (containing 30% crude protein) twice daily at the rate of 5-7% of fish body weight. The total production was found to be significantly (p<0.05) highest in T3 among the three treatments. The net profit was better in T3 than T1 and T2 in terms of better production and money. So, stocking density of Mystus cavasius at the rate of 137 fry m-2 in cage could be an economically feasible aquaculture technique for fish farmers.
Keywords: Mystus cavasius, stocking density, production, cage culture, beel