Growth and yield Rabbitfish <i>(Siganus guttatus)</i> reared in river floating net cages at various stocking densities and feeding schemes

Abstract

Six treatment combinations consisted of three stocking densities of 50, 100, 200, rabbitfish <u>(Siganus guttatus)</u> per cubic meter (m3) at two feeding schemes of sliding 10, 8, 6, 5% commercial feed of fish biomass (F1) and 5% commercial feed of fish biomass daily with Chaetomorpha linum. "lumut" fed to satiation (F2) were tested to determine the growth and yield of rabbitfish in river floating net cages for 120 days.

The F1 at stocking density of 50 fish/m3 and fed commercial feeds daily at sliding (10-8-6-5% BW) feeding scheme registered the highest mean growth of 105.6 g/fish. However, statistical analysis showed no significant difference (P>0.05) in growth among treatments. In terms of production, the F2 at 200 fish/m3 and fed commercial feeds at 5% BW plus "lumut" registered the highest mean production of 18.23 kg/m3 . Production was highly significant (P<0.01) in between stocking densities but not between feeding schemes. Survival (90 - 96%) and mean feed conversion ratios (3.6 - 4.4) were not significantly different (P>0.05) among treatments.

Rearing S. guttatus in floating net cage at 200 fish/m fed commercial feeds daily at 5% BW plus "lumut" fed to satiation appeared to give the highest net income of P705.96/m and a benefit-cost-ratio of 1.42.