Assessment of Tilapia–Freshwater Prawn Co-Culture Schemes in Tanks and Lake-Based Cages for Increased Farm Production

Maria Rowena Robles Romana-Eguia, Mildred Patito Rutaquio, Reylan Caroscos Gutierrez and Nerissa Diaz Salayo
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Maria Rowena Robles Romana-Eguia: Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center, Aquaculture Department, Binangonan Freshwater Station, Binangonan 1940, Rizal, Philippines
Mildred Patito Rutaquio: Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center, Aquaculture Department, Binangonan Freshwater Station, Binangonan 1940, Rizal, Philippines
Reylan Caroscos Gutierrez: Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center, Aquaculture Department, Binangonan Freshwater Station, Binangonan 1940, Rizal, Philippines
Nerissa Diaz Salayo: Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center, Aquaculture Department, Tigbauan Main Station, Tigbauan 5021, Iloilo, Philippines

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 24, 1-17

Abstract: The technical viability of tilapia (I-ExCEL strain Nile or red) and giant freshwater prawn (GFP) co-culture in cages-within-tanks was evaluated while appropriate feeding protocols for tilapia-GFP co-culture in cages in a eutrophic lake were determined. Specifically, production parameters in all test species grown for five months in tank co-culture (where only tilapias were fed) were compared, while the best feeding protocol from among the following treatments: (a) T fed —fed tilapias; (b) GFP fed —fed prawns and (c) T-GFP fed —both species fed, were defined. I-ExCEL Nile tilapias grew faster in tank co-culture whether reared singly or otherwise. However, red tilapia-GFP tank co-culture gave the best results considering key production traits in all test species (red tilapia —2.52%/day specific growth rate or SGR, 83.3% survival; GFP—1.17%/day SGR, 72.85% survival). Lake-based co-culture was technically feasible at stocking densities of 12.5/m 2 for tilapia and 2.4 to 4/m 2 for prawns even when only tilapias were fed; prawns grew to desired marketable sizes by thriving mainly on detritus and natural food organisms in the lake. However, further refinements can still be made to optimise the co-culture schemes to make them more sustainable and provide artisanal fish farmers options in increasing farm yields through multi-species aquaculture.

Keywords: Nile and red tilapia; giant freshwater prawn; lake cages; co-culture (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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