Feeding frequency on growth and male percentage during sexual reversion phase of Nile tilapia

Resumo

The sex reversal is one of the most important stages for the commercial breeding of Nile tilapia in relation to the problems arising from early breeding of this species in cultivation tanks. The objective was to determine the effect of feeding frequency on growth and sex ratio of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) during the sex reversal phase. Five hundred Nile tilapia fry were used and stocked in twenty-five plastic aquaria (36L) in a completely randomized design with five treatments and five replicates. The treatments were: one feeding (10h), two feeding (09h and 17h), three feeding (09h; 13h and 17h), four feeding (07h; 10h; 13h and 17h), and five feeding (07h; 09h; 11h; 15h and 17h). The feeding frequency affected sex ratio of male fingerlings, where the treatments with four and five feedings provided similar values, but higher (P<0.01) than other treatments. It is recommended feeding frequency at least four times a day to provide lots with suitable index of sex reversal for cultivation.