Growth and Survival Rates and Feed Utilization of Orange-spotted grouper Epinephelus coioides Cultured at Different Stocking Densities in Floating Net Cage

Abstract

Epinephelus coioides, commonly known as orange-spotted grouper, has potential aquaculture prospects due to its scarcity in the wild and marketability in semi-tropical and tropical regions. A floating net cage system has been demonstrated to be a technically and commercially feasible method of raising fish, allowing for a much higher stocked density of fish. In this study, orange-spotted grouper (E. coioides) was cultivated in a floating net cage fed with trash fish (Decapterus sp. and Sardinella sp.) to determine the effect of stocking density on survival rate (SR) and specific growth rate (SGR). In addition, feed conversion ratio (FCR) and feed intake (FI) were also investigated. Three stocking densities: 20 fish/m3, 30 fish/m3, and 40 fish/m3, were used in the study. Results showed that E. coioides cultured at a stocking density of 20 fish/m3 in a floating net cage gained the highest SGR and SR significantly (p<0.05). FI was significantly lesser (p<0.05) at a stocking density of 30 fish/m3, while FCR was significantly lower (p<0.05) at a stocking density of 40 fish/m3. Thus, this study suggests that a smaller stocking density of 20 fish/m3 is more effective to be used in the culture of grouper E. coioides in a floating net cage.

Keywords

• Epinephelus coioides
• floating net cage
• growth
• orange-spotted grouper
• stocking density

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