Fisheries and Aquaculture Journal
Open Access

Abstract

Assessment of Probiotic Application on Natural Food, Water Quality and Growth Performance of Saline Tilapia Oreochromis mossambicus L. Cultured in Concrete Tanks

Asaad H Mohamed, Rex FM Traifalgar and Augusto E Serrano Jr

The effects of different levels of commercial probiotics BZT® BIO-AQUA on water quality, phytoplankton populations and total production were evaluated in saline tilapia Oreochromis mossambicus production tanks. The experiment consisted of 4 treatments with three replicates utilizing twelve 1 m3 outdoor concrete tanks. All tanks were stocked with graded, nursed all-male tilapia fingerlings O. mossambicus (5.79–6.31 1 0.52 g/fish) for a 60 days culture period. Variations in phytoplankton populations were recorded throughout the experiment among treatments. O. mossambicus associated with probiotics to their tanks has a higher significant effects (p  0.05) on final weight, % weight gain, SGR% and FCR than in control treatment, respectively. O. mossambicus average body weight (ABW) was higher (p  0.05) and tend to grow with time for overall treatments with better performance in probiotics treated fish. Water quality was better in treatments of O. mossambicus associated with probiotics and suggesting providing further control on water quality, growth performance and phytoplankton production, specifically when applied.